Border measures ease in Canada amid new COVID-19 variant

Travelers wearing face masks walk at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on April 1, 2022. Border measures were eased in Canada on Friday as fully vaccinated travelers no longer need pre-arrival COVID-19 testing to enter Canada either by land or air. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

OTTAWA, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Border measures eased in Canada on Friday as fully vaccinated travelers no longer need pre-arrival COVID-19 testing to enter Canada either by land or air.

Vaccinated people could still be subject to random molecular tests when they arrive in Canada. If they are randomly selected, they are not required to isolate, unless the result comes back positive, according to a previous announcement by the Health Ministry.

Announcing these measures in March, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the health authorities would continue to adjust them as the epidemiological situation in Canada and abroad evolves.

Currently some places in Canada have entered a so-called sixth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic driven by the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron although it's unclear how severe it will be and whether the rest of the country will follow.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) warned Friday new variants will continue to appear. "We must remain vigilant and take all available measures to limit spread," the PHAC said in a daily update report.

According to the data released by the PHAC on Friday, the number of total COVID-19 cases in the country reached 3,484,560, with 159,270 active cases and 37,626 deaths. 

Travelers wearing face masks are seen at the arrivals hall of Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on April 1, 2022. Border measures were eased in Canada on Friday as fully vaccinated travelers no longer need pre-arrival COVID-19 testing to enter Canada either by land or air. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

Travelers wearing face masks look at information boards at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on April 1, 2022. Border measures were eased in Canada on Friday as fully vaccinated travelers no longer need pre-arrival COVID-19 testing to enter Canada either by land or air. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

Travelers wearing face masks walk through the arrivals hall of Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on April 1, 2022. Border measures were eased in Canada on Friday as fully vaccinated travelers no longer need pre-arrival COVID-19 testing to enter Canada either by land or air. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)

Travelers wearing face masks are seen at the arrivals hall of Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on April 1, 2022. Border measures were eased in Canada on Friday as fully vaccinated travelers no longer need pre-arrival COVID-19 testing to enter Canada either by land or air. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)