No risk to public identified. All household members appropriately isolating.
YELLOWKNIFE December 15, 2020 – An individual has been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Inuvik.
The individual travelled internationally and followed appropriate isolation guidance when they arrived.
They are doing well at-home.
Investigation
Public health’s investigation identified only individuals within the household as contacts.
Actions taken to mitigate risk
Public health provided isolation advice for the individual and their household members.
They will continue to monitor the situation and provide support and advice for the individual and household members as necessary.
Public risk
The investigation has identified no risks of exposure in public places.
The individual posed no exposure risk while travelling by air.
Celebrate Self-Isolators
People across our territory are doing their part to protect friends, families, elders, and communities by self-isolating after travel.
As cases reach record levels in Canada, self-isolation is a tried-and-tested way to stop cases from becoming outbreaks and keep communities safe.
Recent case announcements demonstrate that public health officials haven’t had a lot of contacts to trace because people did their part by following self-isolation guidance.
We have seen almost 30,000 self-isolation plans filed since March. Chances are you know someone who has self-isolated after travelling outside the NWT at this point.
There’s no doubt that the requirement to self-isolate is a sacrifice. It’s not easy. But it is the most important way we can help take control of the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks, and keep our friends, families, and communities safe.
As we celebrate the holidays, let’s celebrate those who continue to do their part to keep our territory safe by following this guidance, encourage those we know to do the same, and think about our individual responsibility in making good choices.
Attribution
All commentary is attributable to Dr. Kami Kandola, Chief Public Health Officer for the Northwest Territories.