Agribition addresses southern Africa travel concerns about new COVID-19 variant
Representatives from Agribition said there are no international guests participating in the show that travelled from areas in southern Africa where a new coronavirus variant has been identified.
B.1.1.529 was first reported in South Africa on Nov. 24. The World Health Organization (WHO) designated it a variant of concern on Friday and named it “Omicron.”
Chris Lane, the CEO of the Canadian Western Agribition, said the organization canvassed its international room on Friday to see if anyone had been to southern Africa recently, or was planning to travel there.
“Nobody in our international program this year had come from that region or plan to go to that region. I don’t think that is going to have an impact on any of the guests here,” Lane said Saturday.
Lane noted that one guest was a South African national who currently lives in Saskatchewan.
“He hadn’t been to South Africa or southern Africa and isn’t planning on going back immediately anyway, especially now,” Lane said.
The Government of Canada banned the entry of all foreign nationals who have travelled through southern Africa on the last 14 days, on Friday. The banned areas include South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.
According to Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, there are currently no direct flights from those regions to Canada.
With files from CTVNews.ca and Reuters
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.