Individual being further investigated and test results being validated
YELLOWKNIFE 9 September 2020 – Testing upon entry resulted in a presumptive positive COVID-19 test for an Ontario resident working at Diavik Diamond Mine. The charter carrying the presumptive case originated in the South and went directly to the mine site.
The individual is currently self-isolating in a designated isolation area onsite.
No further details will be provided to protect privacy.
A “presumptive positive” test result means that the test must be confirmed by a public health laboratory. Medical staff at the mine are working closely with NWT public health officials to guide further actions, including validating the test at Alberta Precision Laboratories. Contacts at the mine site are isolated in designated areas with no additional risk identified for the Northwest Territories.
Additional precautions work
Much like the last case at a remote camp, heightened precautions in accordance with the territory’s public health orders and through additional diligence by the company worked to minimize exposures.
These precautions included direct charter flights to the mine site, mandatory mask use on airplanes and shuttle buses, as well as mask use and social distancing precautions at site prior to receiving test results.
Case reporting
If this case is validated, it will not be included in the territory’s statistics as the individual is an Ontario resident.
The Public Health Agency of Canada requires that attribution of COVID-19 infections to a Province or Territory depend on the individual’s place-of-residence.