All schools in Yellowknife, Dettah and Ndilo and have been closed and are moving to virtual learning, as the COVID-19 outbreak in the region continues to worsen.
The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer said in a statement that the ongoing outbreak threatens the health of students, particularly those under the age of 12 who cannot yet get vaccinated against COVID-19.
“At this point, due to the volume of new infections, Yellowknife Public Health is not able to complete testing and contact tracing in a timely fashion that would reliably prevent further transmission at schools,” the statement reads.
Day homes and daycares are exempt from this order and can remain open, the statement adds.
The OCPHO is also recommending people work from home where possible.
Another will go into effect today clarifying isolation requirements for persons who test positive for COVID-19.
The COVID-19 outbreak, which started in the Sahtu region, is now concentrated around the capital city. There are now 97 active cases of COVID-19 in Yellowknife, over 70 percent of the current total of 134 active cases among residents in the territory.
Twenty-one of the new cases of COVID-19 in the NWT since September 9th are in Yellowknife. 5 new cases were found in Behchokǫ̀.
The order is in place for two weeks, until midnight on September 24.
