New case of COVID-19 confirmed in Whitehorse, infected person did 'right thing,' says top doctor

Yukon's Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Catherine Elliott confirmed Thursday that there is a new case of COVID-19 in Whitehorse.

It brings the territory's total number of cases to 24 since the onset of the pandemic in March.

An investigation into the case is underway and the Yukon Communicable Disease Centre has reached most of the contacts, according to a news release issued Thursday afternoon.

It says people who have been at the following locations and who have symptoms are asked to get tested:

• Save-On-Foods, Whitehorse, before 1 p.m. on Nov. 6.
• A&W restaurant, Whitehorse, between 3 and 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 8.

Elliott says the case is not connected to the Watson Lake cases, and though the territory is still investigating, she says it looks to be linked to travel outside of Yukon.

She says the infected person "did the right thing." 

"When this person developed symptoms they self-isolated and they called to [get] testing," Elliott said in an interview with CBC, adding they continued isolating while waiting for results. 

"We can all be grateful for that [person] following that guidance."

Elliott says they won't be giving out information on the health status of infected people as more cases are confirmed in order to maintain privacy of individuals.

"We take this privacy and confidentiality really seriously and it's a part of what makes people confident to come forward and get tested for COVID-19."

Though the risk remains low in Yukon, Elliott says it's still possible to contract the coronavirus and people need to be cautious and get tested if they feel sick.

People can call the COVID-19 Testing and Assessment Centre at 867-393-3083 in Whitehorse, or contact their nearest community health centre.

"We all contribute to a healthy community by continuing to follow the Safe 6, staying home and away from others when sick, keeping our hands clean and maintaining a respectful distance from others," the release says.

People with symptoms, even mild, should get tested. They can also use the self-assessment tool on the Yukon government's webpage as a guide or call 811.

COVID-19 symptoms can include a fever, chills, cough, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, runny nose, sore throat, loss of sense of taste or smell, headache and fatigue. It can also include loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea and muscle aches.