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Greenland reports eight new COVID-19 cases

Eilís Quinn, Eye on the Arctic @arctic_eq
Posted: Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at 15:16 — Last Updated: Tuesday, August 3, 2021 at 15:22
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A March 2021 file photo of a Covid-19 test centre in Nuuk, Greenland. Officials are asking every one everyone that flew on flight GL 205 from Upernavik to Ilulissat on July 27, and everyone on flight GL533 from Ilulissat to Aasiaat on July 28, to get tested. (Emil Helms/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images)

Greenland reported eight new COVID-19 cases on Monday bringing the total count up to 46.

“The spread of infection in Greenland is now so extensive that new cases can occur anywhere in the country,” the Greenland government said in a news release.

“Travel activity is contributing to this and further infection spread is inevitable.”

Six of the new cases are in Aasiaat, one is in the town of Qasigiannguit, and one is in the capital city of Nuuk.

Officials suspect Delta variant

The government described the possibility of further infection as “high,” saying people with the cases identified Monday had all been diagnosed after traveling, and are related to the current outbreaks in Aasiaat and Upernavik.

It’s asking everyone that flew on flight GL 205 from Upernavik to Ilulissat on July 27, and everyone on flight GL533 from Ilulissat to Aasiaat on July 28, to get tested.

Officials say they presume the highly contagious Delta variant is responsible for recent infections.

Greenland lifted COVID-19 restrictions across the island for vaccinated people on July 31 except for the Aasiaat and Upernavik regions.

A graphic showing 64.5 per cent of Greenland’s population has been vaccinated. (Government of Greenland)

Greenland has a population of 56,421.

As of August 3, 36,672 people have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 26,132 have been fully vaccinated with two doses.

Write to Eilís at eilis.quinn@cbc.ca

Related stories from around the North:

Canada: Outbreak declared over in Arctic Canadian city of Iqaluit, says chief public health officer, CBC News

Finland: Santa joins former Eurovision winner Lordi at Lapland vaccination clinic to help boost jab uptake in Finland, Yle News

Greenland: COVID-19 rules continue in two places after infection clusters, but will be relaxed as planned in rest of Greenland, Eye on the Arctic

United States: Cruise ship arrives in Skagway, Alaska after passenger flown home with COVID-19, CBC News

Aasiaat, Delta variant, Ilulissat, Nuuk, Qasigiannguit, Upernavik

Eilís Quinn, Eye on the Arctic

Eilís Quinn is an award-winning journalist and manages Radio Canada International’s Eye on the Arctic news cooperation project. Eilís has reported from the Arctic regions of all eight circumpolar countries and has produced numerous documentary and multimedia series about climate change and the issues facing Indigenous peoples in the North.

Her investigative report "Death in the Arctic: A community grieves, a father fights for change," about the murder of Robert Adams, a 19-year-old Inuk man from Arctic Quebec, received the silver medal for “Best Investigative Article or Series” at the 2019 Canadian Online Publishing Awards. The project also received an honourable mention for excellence in reporting on trauma at the 2019 Dart Awards in New York City.

Her report “The Arctic Railway: Building a future or destroying a culture?” on the impact a multi-billion euro infrastructure project would have on Indigenous communities in Arctic Europe was a finalist at the 2019 Canadian Association of Journalists award in the online investigative category.

Her multimedia project on the health challenges in the Canadian Arctic, "Bridging the Divide," was a finalist at the 2012 Webby Awards.

Her work on climate change in the Arctic has also been featured on the TV science program Découverte, as well as Le Téléjournal, the French-Language CBC’s flagship news cast.

Eilís has worked for media organizations in Canada and the United States and as a TV host for the Discovery/BBC Worldwide series "Best in China."

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