Canada’s Northwest Territories reports record number of COVID-19 cases

Territorial health officials issue four public exposure notices for Yellowknife

A record number of COVID-19 cases was reported in the Northwest Territories Tuesday.

The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) said in a news release there are 378 active cases across the N.W.T. It’s an increase from the previous record of 341 reported cases Friday, and 340 reported on Monday.

The N.W.T. currently has the highest rate of active COVID-19 cases in the country — more than 1.5 times the rate of Alberta, which has the second highest.

Cases continue to rise in Yellowknife, Dettah and Ndilǫ, where 243 cases are being reported, an increase of 23 from Monday.

The OCPHO also issued public exposure notices for the following locations and times in Yellowknife:

• Canadian Tire on Sept. 29 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., and on Oct. 1 from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Walmart on Oct. 1, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Staples on Oct. 2, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 .m.
• Vietnam Noodle House on Oct. 3, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Individuals who were at these locations at these times should self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of vaccination status. If any symptoms develop, individuals are required to self-isolate and arrange for testing.

Yellowknifers can arrange for testing by booking online or calling 767-9120.

Cases outside Yellowknife area

The number of cases also rose in Behchokǫ̀. There are now 119 cases being reported in the community compared to 105 on Monday.

In its release, the OCPHO clarified that the officers enforcing new travel rules issued Monday in the community, and staffing checkpoints, are appointed public health officers.

There is one new case reported in Inuvik, where the local college issued a notice about it and sent emails to students over the weekend.

There are eight cases reported in the South Slave, five in Fort Smith, an increase of one since Monday, and three in Hay River and K’atl’odeeche First Nation, the same number as on Monday.

There are also three cases reported in Wekweètì and one in Whatì, the same as there were yesterday.

There is now only one case reported in the Sahtu region, in Fort Good Hope. There is no longer an active case in Délı̨nę.

There is one new active case in Łutsel Kʼe.

The number of cases has decreased at the territory’s mines where only one case is being reported at the Tłı̨chǫ All Season Road work site compared to two on Monday. There are also no more cases at the Diavik and Ekati diamond mines where, on Monday, there were two cases reported at each mine.

Related stories from around the North: 

Canada: Vaccination coverage in Nunavik, Quebec reaches 44 per cent of eligible population, Eye on the Arctic

Greenland: Greenland lifts COVID-19 restrictions on direct travel to small communities, Eye on the Arctic

Iceland: Iceland to change COVID-19 border rules on October 1, Eye on the Arctic

United States: Rural Alaska at risk as COVID-19 surge swamps faraway hospitals, The Associated Press