Nunavut confirms outbreak of COVID-19 at Hope Bay mine

The Nunavut government confirmed seven new positive cases of COVID-19 at the Hope Bay mine on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to nine.

In a news release Monday, the government also announced a new total of four presumptive cases at the mine.

Two cases were confirmed at Hope Bay in late September, and as of Friday the government was waiting on confirmatory testing for eight presumptive cases, with more tests expected to be processed over the weekend. 

The territory's chief public health officer said in a news conference on Friday that the cases might count as Nunavut's first because transmission likely occurred in the territory, but that would be decided in conversations with the home jurisdictions of the infected people. 

Whether these cases will count toward Nunavut's total is still being worked out, according to a government spokesperson. 

The first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Hope Bay mine did not count toward Nunavut's case numbers because those infected were non-residents who were exposed in their home jurisdictions prior to travelling to the mine.

No non-critical travel to mine

TMAC Resources Inc. owns the Hope Bay mine, which is 125 kilometres southwest of Cambridge Bay. All non-critical travel to and from the mine remains on hold and 12 people are still in isolation at the mine site. 

Nunavut's rapid response team was sent to perform contact tracing at Hope Bay and is expected to leave mid-week. The team will be expected to isolate in their homes upon their return.

Nunavut Health Minister George Hickes reiterated on Monday that there were no Nunavut residents working at the Hope Bay mine and that the risk to Nunavummiut is "very low."

Including these cases, there have been at least 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at northern mines.

A case was confirmed at Mary River mine, 176 kilometres southwest of Pond Inlet, Nunavut, on Sept. 21, and two cases were confirmed at Northwest Territories' Diavik Diamond Mine this summer.

Restrictions eased for restaurants, sports, museums

Meanwhile, the government of Nunavut also announced on Monday that it's eased restrictions on group sizes, in time for Thanksgiving.

Indoor gatherings are now capped at 15 people, in addition to the members of a household. Outdoor gatherings, previously capped at 50, are now permitted to be 100 people. 

Restaurants and bars are now allowed to open to 75 per cent capacity, up from 50 per cent capacity, but still only six people are allowed per table and tables must be two metres apart. 

Bars can also return to regular business hours. 

Group fitness classes will now be allowed as long as they are capped to 25 people per class, or 50 per cent of the room's capacity. 

Arenas and recreational sport facilities can open up as long as they don't exceed 50 people playing at a time, or 50 per cent of the facility's capacity. A total of 50 people are allowed to watch a game. 

Libraries, museums and galleries are permitted to open at 50 per cent capacity. 

A previous public health order allowed one to two visitors for residents at long-term care and medical boarding homes. The new order allows for two visitors. Those visitors must be from their immediate family and must wear masks or face coverings. 

These new measures took effect on Monday.