1 new COVID-19 case identified in Iqaluit

Nunavut's chief public health officer says there's no need to panic after health officials confirmed a new positive COVID-19 case in Iqaluit.

Dr. Michael Patterson told reporters Thursday the case was identified when the person went to Qikiqtani General Hospital. He said it's not clear if their symptoms are caused by COVID-19 or another condition.

The case brings Nunavut's total to 651.

Patterson said contact tracing is underway but that there's no sign yet that the government needs to rethink its reopening plan.

"At this point, there's no reason to think that this means that we have to pause or change the public health orders as they are right now," he said.

"Earlier on when we were in the second half of April and early May contact tracing staff were able to keep up but it was a struggle. We're now in a much better position. One case will not by itself mean we will have to return to the lockdown."

Travel bubble with N.W.T. resumes

The new case was announced the same day that Nunavut re-established its side of a travel bubble with the Northwest Territories.  

Starting today, anyone who hasn't gone outside the N.W.T. or Nunavut in the last two weeks can travel to Nunavut from the N.W.T. without having to self-isolate for two weeks upon arrival.

Earlier this week, Nunavut announced that most people who are fully vaccinated can skip the two-week quarantine period before travelling to the territory from the south. That measure takes effect June 14.

The Nunavut government also extended the public health emergency through June 24.

Patterson said he's heard the new rules may have contributed to an increase in the number of people seeking vaccines, though he did not have exact figures.

"I know a couple of health centres have reported they've had a number of people requesting to get their second dose, people who had hadn't gotten around to it yet, for whatever reason," he said. They're getting a lot more of those calls now."