The Dempster Highway crosses the boundary between Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories. (Supplied by Google Maps.)
Northwest Territories
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Yukon travel exemptions suspended as COVID-19 outbreak continues

Bailey Moreton
By Bailey Moreton

Travellers from Yukon will no longer be able to get exemptions for isolation, as the COVID-19 case count in Yukon continues to rise.

All travellers arriving from Yukon will have to submit a self-isolation plan, — some travellers and household members will still be eligible for the territory’s shortened isolation stays.

There are 20 active cases in Yukon, with five new cases today connected to the Gamma variant – which comes out of Brazil. There have also been a number of hospitalizations, and one person has died during this outbreak.

The P1 variant first emerged in December 2020. The first confirmed case in Canada was detected in Toronto in February. 

Yukon’s acting chief medical health officer, Dr. Catherine Elliott, speaking with CTV, said the person who died was an unvaccinated Whitehorse resident.

The individual became ill after contact with someone who was diagnosed with the virus.

The NWT’s Office of the Chief Public Health Officer said in a statement they were monitoring the situation and would reinstate the exemptions when it was safe to do so.

Bailey Moreton
Bailey Moreton
Bailey is new to the north, arriving from Ottawa where he studied journalism at Carleton University. He has worked for newspapers in Halifax, Windsor, and Ottawa. He came to the north hoping to see polar bears. He will settle for a bison. If you have a tip, send it to 905 252-9781, or [email protected].

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