Canada imposes a 30-day ban on flights from India and Pakistan.

In response to increasing COVID-19 case counts in India and concerns about coronavirus mutations, the federal government will impose a 30-day ban on passenger flights from India and Pakistan.

Since a growing number of travelers from both countries have been arriving in Canada with COVID-19, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said in a virtual press conference on Thursday that all commercial and private passenger flights from the respective countries will be banned from Thursday night.

Cargo flights will continue to be allowed to ensure the delivery of vital supplies including vaccines and personal protective equipment, he said.

Air passengers flying from India or Pakistan to Canada via a third country would need to pass a COVID-19 test at their last point of departure before being permitted to enter the country, according to Alghabra.

All visitors arriving in Canada by land or air must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test and be quarantined for two weeks; critical staff is exempt. While waiting for COVID-19 test results, air passengers must quarantine for up to three days at an authorized hotel and must test again 10 days later.

Although just 1.8 percent of all air travelers entering Canada are found to be COVID-19 positive, a growing number of passengers on flights arriving from India and Pakistan have been testing positive in recent days, according to Health Minister Patty Hajdu.

Despite the fact that Indian travelers account for just 20% of travel to the United States, according to federal statistics, people traveling from India account for 50% of all positive tests. According to Hajdu, the number of Pakistani travelers is also high.