The GNWT has developed a new service to help keep track of various illnesses across the Territory.
The new tool is designed to monitor the presence of COVID-19, Influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus in the communities of Behchoko, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Norman Wells, and Yellowknife.
The tool will not only alert residents to the presence of these illnesses, but also has various detection levels for how much of each condition is being reported, as well as the wastewater trends for the area in the past year. Weekly water samples will be collected from participating communities to test for the targeted viruses, and more communities are able to opt in at any time.
Wastewater monitoring can provide an early warning sign of a viruses presence in the area, which allows public health officials to respond and share information with the public. By using the new dashboard, residents can also make their own judgements on how to keep themselves safe.
The dashboard can be found by clicking here.
