All schools in Yellowknife, Ndilo and Dettah are closed after six cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.
Ten more cases are waiting to be confirmed. The six cases are considered a cluster and an outbreak has not been declared because the exposure chain has been identified. An outbreak is only declared city wide when the exposure chain is not identified.
An outbreak was declared at N.J. Macpherson school earlier on Sunday after one confirmed case and four probable cases were reported. The school was set to be closed for 14-days starting from May 3. Now all schools will be closed for two weeks.
Masks are also being mandatory indoors in the City of Yellowknife as of 8 a.m. on May 3.
This brings the total number of active cases among NWT residents to eight, all in Yellowknife.
A number of exposure risks were also identified in a statement by Dr. Kami Kandola, NWT’s Chief Public Health Officer.
There is an exposure risk at the Multiplex DND Gym on May 1 between 1 and 3 p.m. There is an exposure risk identified on the route 2 school bus between April 26 and 29. There’s also an exposure risk on school bus route 12 on April 29 and 30 in the morning and afternoon runs. Anyone who may have come into contact with these exposure risks should self isolate immediately for 14 days.
There are also exposure risks at Sushi North on April 30 between 6 and 6:30 p.m. and at Walmart on May 1 between 12 and 12:30 p.m. Individuals who were at these locations between those times should self-monitor for symptoms, but do not need to self-isolate.
