There are 18 new cases of COVID-19 in the territory since September, bringing the total number of cases connected to the Sahtu COVID-19 outbreak to 413.
Most of the new cases are in Yellowknife, 14 of them, while there are two new cases in Tulita and one each in Norman Wells and Hay River.
There are 107 active cases among residents in the territory plus three active out of territory cases and one previous death.
A total of 302 cases have been resolved — 298 NWT residents and four out of territory cases.
In total, hospitalizations since the start of the pandemic have totalled 16 with six those being admitted to an intensive care unit.
Ninety percent of the first 10 hospitalizations were non-fully vaccinated, according to the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer.
A number of changes were made for Yellowknife and surrounding communities as the COVID-19 situation has been mainly handled in the Sahtu region, according to NWT’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola, but continues to worsen in Yellowknife.
New restrictions on gatherings will be in place for Yellowknife, Behchokǫ̀, Ndilǫ and Dettah starting at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
The GNWT announced the restrictions, which are set to last for 14 days, today in a press conference, as cutbacks to a number of healthcare services were also announced.
Non-urgent healthcare appointments are also being cancelled, as the GNWT diverts resources to managing the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
All these changes come as a COVID-19 outbreak has been declared amongst the underhoused and vulnerable population in Yellowknife. The GNWT says they have found isolation centres for people who use shelter services and are conducting COVID-19 screening at shelters.
