Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos and his counterparts from other G7 countries agreed on Monday to closely monitor and share information on the highly mutated Omicron variant of COVID-19.
The new variant emerged in South Africa, coinciding with an increase in COVID-19 cases in the region.
Its appearance prompted border closures as well as control measures in Canada and around the world.
“The overall risk associated with Omicron is considered very high for a number of reasons,” the World Health Organization warned.
“There is worrying preliminary evidence on Omicron that suggests, in contrast to previous (variants of concern), both a potential immune escape and increased transmissibility that could lead to further surges with dire consequences.”
Four cases of the Omicron variant have been discovered in Ottawa, and public health workers are tracing contacts in an attempt to end the transmission. A confirmed case was also announced Monday in Quebec.
Authorities warn that more cases are likely to be found in Canada in the coming days.
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G7 health ministers met virtually to discuss the new threat, underscoring the importance of ensuring that all countries have access to COVID-19 vaccines and the necessary supports to put them to arms.
They also expressed strong support for an international pathogen surveillance network within WHO, said a joint statement released after the meeting.
The ministers agreed to meet again next month.
# G7 health ministers closely monitor the new #Omicron variant of # COVID19. #CDNPoli
The events came as countries debated a new global convention on pandemic preparedness and response at a special meeting of the World Health Assembly on Monday.
It is the second time that the group has held such an emergency summit.
If member countries agree, the assembly would begin to develop what would essentially serve as an international treaty on pandemic preparedness.
“Global health security is too important to be left to chance, goodwill, changing geopolitical currents, or vested interests of companies and shareholders,” World Health Organization Director Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at the beginning of the summit.
“The best way to address them is with a legally binding agreement between nations: an agreement forged from the recognition that we have no future but a common future.”
He said the appearance of the Omicron variant underscores the dangerous and precarious nature of the global situation.
“In fact, Omicron demonstrates why the world needs a new pandemic deal. Our current system deters countries from alerting others to threats that will inevitably land on their shores,” he said.
The idea is to prevent another global crisis like the one posed by COVID-19 and its new potentially more transmissible variants.
“Our position has always been that we are stronger when we work together,” Duclos said Friday in support of a new convention.
A binding international agreement would help countries collaborate and allow Canada to more easily share its experience on the world stage, Duclos said.
“That level of scientific and policy leadership is a sign that we can do even better in the future as we collaborate with WHO and other organizations to prevent future pandemic incidents and protect Canadians against such things.”
The WHO working group on the docket says governments should seek to develop the convention alongside efforts to strengthen existing international health regulations.
The task force’s priorities include a focus on global equity, rapid risk detection and assessment, a global approach to disinformation and the sharing of pathogens, genetic information, and biological samples.
This Canadian Press report was first published on November 29, 2021.
Reference-www.nationalobserver.com