Canada on Thursday announced a 30-day ban on all passengers flights from India and Pakistan effective Thursday, citing exponential rise in COVID-19 cases in both the countries.
“Given the higher number of cases of COVID-19 detected in air passengers arriving in Canada from India and Pakistan, Transport Canada is issuing a notice to airmen, or NOTAM, to halt direct passenger air traffic from those countries,” Xinhua quoted Canadian Transport Minister Omar Alghabra as saying.
The Transport Minister was addressing a joint press conference with other Canadian ministers.
The minister said the ban is implemented as more passengers arrive in Canada with positive test results from the two South Asian countries.
If travelers departing from those two countries take an indirect route home, they’ll be required to show a negative RT-PCR test at their last point of departure. Once they arrive in Canada, they’ll follow the standard protocols, unless exempt, including taking another test and booking a stay at a designated government hotel while they await their results.
“I want to say that our hearts are with the citizens of India, Pakistan, indeed the whole region during these incredibly difficult times. In the meantime, we’ll continue to apply stringent testing and quarantine measures for all passengers arriving in Canada,” she said.
