1 new COVID-19 case confirmed in Yellowknife, 3 recoveries

Health officials confirmed one new case of COVID-19 in Yellowknife Friday, and three recoveries.

The new case brings the territory to 10 active cases total, with one case at the Ekati diamond mine and nine in Yellowknife.

All cases in the city are connected to an outbreak of COVID-19 at the city's N.J. Macpherson School declared May 2. Most of those cases — 83 per cent — were in children, with an average age of 8.3 years.

Since the outbreak, 62 cases have recovered.

"The situation is improving daily, and there is no evidence of community transmission," a Friday release announcing the new numbers reads.

"Because of how close Yellowknife was to community transmission, however, [the chief public health officer] feels we need to remain vigilant at this time."

But the CPHO continues to encourage some non-essential travel in advance of the May long weekend.

The release says the CPHO "encourages recreational travel, such as camping this long weekend."

"Spending time in the N.W.T.'s outdoors is very healthy!" it reads, while noting that recreational travel "is not considered travelling in and out of the communities."

Also on Friday, health officials unveiled new rules for sick children returning to school, and announced expanded youth vaccine clinics in communities outside Yellowknife. 

Mandatory indoor masking orders are still in effect in Yellowknife, Dettah, Ndilǫ, and Behchokǫ.