COVID-19 cases in Kinngait among 10 resolved in Nunavut Saturday
Visits and social gatherings main cause of spread, say officials
There were more COVID-19 recoveries than new cases in Nunavut on Saturday.
According to the latest data from public health, seven more people in the territory had tested positive for the virus while ten others were considered to be recovered.
The recoveries include the two cases which had been in Kinngait. That means all 74 active cases in the territory are in Iqaluit.
The capital has been battling an outbreak of COVID-19 since mid-April.
In an update Thursday, Nunavut's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Michael Patterson, said visiting and social gatherings were the main cause of the virus's spread in the capital city.
He said there'd been at least three parties that triggered transmission, and that 30 of the cases at the time were people under 18.
Health Canada approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for teens between 12 and 18-years-old earlier this week. But Patterson said it presents logistical challenges for remote communities because it needs to be stored in an ultra-cold freezer at temperatures between –80 C and –60 C, calling for it to be shipped in specially designed containers.