Sahtu, Dehcho see cut in healthcare services; active COVID-19 cases decline in N.W.T.

There are six new COVID-19 cases in the Northwest Territories as of Friday night, and a total of 192 active cases.

That's a reduction from 262 active cases yesterday, according to a government news release.

Overall, the N.W.T. has seen 271 recent cases of COVID-19. Of those, 76 have recovered, one has died and three are from out of territory.  

The territorial government also released new hospitalization numbers. Five out of the territory's nine hospitalizations throughout the entire pandemic have been as a result of the current COVID-19 outbreak. 

Healthcare cutbacks in Sahtu, Dehcho

Buried in Friday's COVID-19 update is a notice saying health centres in the Sahtu and Dehcho regions will be running on emergency services until further notice. 

What that means is emergency services are still available, but regular appointments and non-urgent medical issues may be delayed. 

Services in Yellowknife are also being further reduced due to "staffing redeployment," according to a notice from the territorial government. 

Certain types of appointments, like STI testing and newborn vaccinations, will still be available in person. Patients are asked to call ahead if they are unsure whether their appointments will go ahead or not. 

Virtual appointments will be provided at the Yellowknife Primary Care Clinic and the Frame Lake Community Health Centre until Sept. 11.

Back-to-school delayed in some Tłı̨chǫ communities 

The Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Agency passed a motion to delay in-person learning for students in Behchokǫ̀ and Gametì until Sept. 7, following news Thursday of one positive case of COVID-19 in Behchokǫ̀, and two in Gametì. 

"This is a proactive step to mitigate the potential for spread in our school-aged children," reads a letter sent Friday from the agency's board to parents. 

Schools in Wekweètì and Whatì will start in person on Monday, Aug. 30 as planned. 

Meanwhile, Tulita's district education authority (DEA) has passed a motion to continue with remote learning for the week of Aug. 30, according to the Sahtu Divisional Education Council. Students there started classes remotely on Aug. 23. 

The Norman Wells DEA passed a motion Friday to shift from in-person learning to remote learning for their first day of school, which is Wednesday, Sept. 1. The DEA plans to re-evaluate the situation Sept. 3. 

As of Friday, Norman Wells had 41 active cases of COVID-19. That community extended its state of emergency until Sept. 3, and put in place night patrols Friday afternoon.

Exposure notice at Explorer Hotel

Community exposure notices keep coming in Yellowknife. 

On Friday, the N.W.T. government issued a notice to anyone who was in the main area of the Explorer Hotel between Aug. 19 and 23 to self-monitor, wear a mask in all public places and immediately self-isolate and arrange for testing if symptoms arrive. (See all public exposure notices here.)

The news comes two days after the chief public health officer announced that community transmission was beginning in Yellowknife, and imposed a territory-wide mask mandate. 

On Thursday, Yellowknife school boards issued a joint letter to parents announcing that under Dr. Kami Kandola's latest territory-wide mask mandate, all students from JK to Grade 12 will be required to wear masks in school at all times.