COVID-19 outbreak declared at East Three Elementary School in Inuvik

YELLOWKNIFE November 6, 2021 – The Chief Public Health Officer is declaring an outbreak at the East Three Elementary School in Inuvik.

A workplace or institutional outbreak is declared when more than one person has COVID-19 at the site.

Currently there are six COVID-19 infections in people who were present at following East Three Elementary School classrooms during the following dates and times.

  • One Gr. 4 class (all day) – Wednesday (Nov. 3), Thursday (Nov. 4) and Friday (Nov. 5)
    • You will be notified by public health if your child is in the affected class
  • Both Gr. 5 classes (all day) – Wednesday (Nov. 3), Thursday (Nov. 4) and Friday (Nov. 5)
  • One Gr. 6 class (all day) – Wednesday (Nov. 3), Thursday (Nov. 4) and Friday (Nov. 5)
    • You will be notified by public health if your child is in the affected class

The Public Exposure Notification webpage has been updated to reflect these exposure locations.

Letters have been sent home to all parents and guardians of the children in the affected classrooms. Staff and students should follow the advice outlined in their letter.

Regardless of vaccination status, all other staff and children (not in the affected classrooms) should monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and immediately isolate if signs or symptoms develop. Contact your health care provider or local public health team for advice on the next steps if signs and symptoms develop. This information will be updated should exposure timelines change.

COVID-19 and Children

National data continues to show that children remain at low risk of severe symptoms of COVID-19 but can transmit the virus to each other and at home. In NWT, Children are experiencing impacts of the current COVID-19 outbreak . There have been more than 200 cases in children under 12 since the beginning of August. These children are not yet eligible for the vaccine.

Attribution

All commentary is attributable to Dr. James Talbot, Acting Deputy Chief Public Health Officer for the Northwest Territories.

Relevant links

Media Contact

COVID-19 Coordinating Secretariat

Department of Health and Social Services

Government of the Northwest Territories

covid_comms@gov.nt.ca