OTTAWA (AFP) - The longest international border in the world, between Canada and the United States, will remain closed until Jan 21 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Friday (Dec 11).

"Canada and the United States agreed today to keep our shared border closed until Jan 21," Trudeau told a news conference.

The border was initially closed in March to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The closure has been renewed monthly since then. Only trade in goods and merchandise and essential travel are allowed.

A second wave of Covid-19 infections in Canada - with a total of nearly 450,000 cases reported as of Friday - has forced several regions to reintroduce pandemic measures.

The United States is the worst-affected country in the world, with almost 300,000 deaths from 15.7 million cases.