A 14-day containment order has been issued in Whatì by the Chief Public Health Officer.
The CPHO issued the order due to a rapid increase in the number of infections, indicating that Whatì is in the early stages of community transmission.
Dr. Kami Kandola says she was notified over the weekend of 10 people in the community of Whatı̀ with probable or confirmed COVID-19.
Kandola says at the moment, there are more than 40 known contacts.
The containment order went into effect at midnight on September 12th and required the closure of non-essential businesses and transitioning to remote learning for schools in Whatı̀.
Additional restrictions will be placed on indoor or outdoor gatherings to include only household members.
Essential services are to remain open with limitations in place and masking in indoor public spaces is now mandatory.
Kandola says transmission likely occurred at a community barbeque on September 6th. Anyone who attended the barbeque is a contact of COVID-19.
Kandola also says anyone who is not fully vaccinated and has traveled from Whatı̀ to another NWT community since September 6th, must isolate immediately and notify local public health.
“Essential workers in Whatı̀ should follow all public health measures currently in place as they continue attending work,” she adds.
Kandola says non-essential workers and other residents should plan on not attending work or in-person schooling from September 13th until the order is either lifted or expires.
Whatì joins Behchokǫ̀ and Norman Wells as being the only three NWT communities with a containment order currently in place.
