Two cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the NWT.
Both are travel-related, with one individual being a non-resident who was headed to work at the Gahcho Kué mine. The other was a Yellowknife resident, who travelled outside the territory.
An exposure risk was identified on the flight the Yellowknife resident took. The flight was from Edmonton to Yellowknife on December 16, Air Canada flight number AC8225. The exposure risk only applies to rows 14 to 20.
The individual immediately self-isolated within their household. There are no identified contacts outside the household.
An investigation found no exposure risk related to the case at the mine. Public health worked with mine medical staff on an investigation, which identified 14 contacts at the mine site.
“Public health worked with the medical team at Gahcho Kué to get individuals on-site isolated upon case identification,” a statement from NWT’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola read. “They will continue to monitor the situation as routine follow-up is completed throughout the isolation period.”
The individual diagnosed travelled directly to the mine site from a southern province and did not have any contact with NWT communities.
The Gahcho Kué mine case does not count towards the NWT’s total, but the Yellowknife case does, because they are a resident. That brings the territory’s total number of COVID-19 cases to 24.
