1 new COVID-19 case in Yellowknife, 90 contacts of cluster identified

The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCHPO) announced Sunday that another case of COVID-19 has been identified in Yellowknife.

In a news release issued just before noon, the OCPHO said the infected person was a contact of a previously reported case. That brings the number of active cases in the capitol to six. There are also two active cases in Fort Smith, for a total of eight in the N.W.T.

The most recent Yellowknife case is part of a cluster of five cases in the city, said public health. The OCPHO said they've now identified 90 people who are contacts of the cluster. Late last week, MLA Steve Norn announced that he and a relative are two of those people who tested positive for the disease.

The OCPHO defines "cluster" as cases that are close in time, geographic location or by common exposure. It says all contacts of the cases detected last week have been notified and "there are not any identified public exposures."

One case in Yellowknife is not part of the same cluster, said the OCPHO. That case was one of three announced Friday, is related to international travel, and has no contacts, said public health.

Update on Canadian North flight

On Saturday, Nunavut's chief public health officer announced that two people with COVID-19 infections boarded Canadian North Flight 239 from Iqaluit to Rankin Inlet on April 23. The people did not know they had the disease when they took the flight.

The plane went on to Yellowknife, where seven passengers disembarked. The OCPHO in the N.W.T. said it has followed up with each of those people. It says the N.W.T. residents on the flight are required to self isolate and get tested.

Anyone who disembarked in Yellowknife who was only staying for 24 hours or less have been self-isolating until they continue on to their home province or territory.

The OCPHO says there is no risk to the public identified at this time.