BC CDC identifies 21 more Vancouver flights with COVID-19 exposure

The BC Centre for Disease Control has identified 21 more flights with COVID-19 cases on board that have passed through BC airports in recent days.

The BC CDC added the details of the flights to their list of public exposures on November 13. Both domestic and international flights are affected.

On October 31, Air Canada flight 855 from London to Vancouver confirmed a positive case of COVID-19 on board, with rows 40 to 46 affected.

On November 1, Air India flight 186 from Vancouver to Delhi had a case, but affected rows have not been reported.

On November 2, United Airlines flight 1641 from Denver to Vancouver carried someone with the virus, with row 4 to 10 affected. The same day, Lufthansa flight 492 from Frankfurt to Vancouver had a coronavirus case on board. Rows 33 to 37 are affected.

Also on November 2, Air Canada flight 855 from London to Vancouver saw a case, with the infected person seated between rows 39 and 45.

On November 3, the same flight – Air Canada 855 from London to Vancouver – had a case, with rows 20 to 26 affected.

On November 4, United Airlines flight 1641 from Denver to Vancouver carried an infected passenger, seated between rows 29 and 35. Also on November 4, Air Canada flight 45 from Delhi to Vancouver had a confirmed COVID-19 case, affecting rows 21 to 27.

On November 5, WestJet flight 129 from Calgary to Vancouver had a confirmed case of the virus, with rows 4 to 10 affected.

The same day, Swoop flight 118 from Abbotsford to Hamilton had an infected passenger on board, although the affected rows have not been reported. Also on November 5, Flair flight 8186 from Winnipeg to Kelowna had a confirmed case, affecting rows 18 to 24.

On November 7, Air Canada flight 1055 from Phoenix to Vancouver had a positive case, with the person seated between rows 19 and 25.

On November 8, Air Canada flight 221 from Calgary to Vancouver had virus case on board, with rows 16 to 22 affected. The same day, WestJet flight 133 from Calgary to Vancouver carried someone with COVID-19. Rows 22 to 28 are affected.

On November 9 Flair flight 8102 from Calgary to Vancouver had a confirmed coronavirus case between rows 13 and 19.

Air Canada flight 311 from Montreal to Vancouver, also on November 9, had a positive case, with rows 29 to 35 affected.

That same day, Air Canada flight 241 from Edmonton to Vancouver carried an infected passenger. Rows 23 to 29 are affected.

Also on November 9, Air Canada flight 123 from Toronto to Vancouver had a confirmed case of COVID-19, affecting rows 31 to 35.

Lufthansa flight 492 from Frankfurt to Vancouver on November 9 had a virus case on board, with rows 31 to 37 affected. The same day, Air Canada/Sky Regional flight 7724 from Houston to Vancouver confirmed a positive case, with rows 4 and 12 to 16 affected.

Also on November 9, Air Canada flight 44 from Vancouver to Delhi had a confirmed COVID-19 case, with rows 34 to 40 affected.

Despite the large number of flights carrying COVID-19 cases, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said that there have been very few reports of viral transmission in-flight.

“There’s been very few reports, extremely rare reports actually, of transmission aboard aircrafts,” she said. “The modern aircraft is actually really good in terms of air exchanges and the way that airflow occurs in the cabin.”