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Victoria hits record-breaking number of monthly COVID-19 flight exposures

As of April 21, 10 flight exposures reported for the month
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A total of 10 flight exposures have affected the Victoria International Airport in April so far, making it the highest monthly total since the start of the pandemic. (Black Press Media file photo)

With the month not yet over, April has hit a record number of COVID-19 flight exposures to go through the Victoria International Airport since the pandemic began.

Two more flight exposures were added by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control on Wednesday, bringing the monthly total to 10, two over the previous record of eight.

The new exposures were reported on WestJet flight 3116 from Victoria to Calgary on April 11 and again on flight 3116 on April 12. On both dates, it was passengers in rows 11 to 17 who were exposed.

READ ALSO: New COVID-19 exposures reported at Colwood middle school

All passengers aboard the flights are asked to self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days. Those symptoms include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, the loss of sense of smell or appetite, muscle aches, fatigue and headaches, diarrhea, and nausea or vomiting.

Prior to April, November and January were tied for the most monthly flight exposures with eight each.

On Monday, Premier John Horgan announced new travel restrictions would be coming to the province to stop people from travelling between health regions and out of province. Campgrounds and other accommodation operators have agreed to refuse bookings from out-of-region customers until after the May long weekend, and B.C. Ferries will stop accepting reservations for recreational vehicles.

Roadside checks are also on the table, but no restrictions surrounding air travel have been mentioned. More details are expected on Friday.

READ ALSO: Road blocks to enforce B.C. COVID restrictions on recreational travel out of health authority


 

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