Health-care services reduced as N.W.T. active COVID-19 case count climbs to 198

There are now 198 active cases of COVID-19 in the Northwest Territories with the majority in the Sahtu region.

In the Sahtu the active case count grew to 177 Friday:

• Fort Good Hope, 86
• Colville Lake, 73
• Délı̨nę, 8
• Norman Wells, 10

There are now 20 active cases in Yellowknife and one in Inuvik. Hospitalizations remain at fewer than 5.

This information was provided by the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer Friday afternoon.

According to the press release, containment orders remain in place for Fort Good Hope and Colville Lake. 

In Yellowknife, the Primary Care Clinic and the Frame Lake Community Health Centre will be providing virtual appointments until the end of August. According to the press release, this is because of "staffing redeployment to support outbreak management."

Yellowknife Public Health is providing reduced services until Aug. 30. Appointments related to STI testing, Workers Safety and Compensation Commission, and newborn vaccinations remain available, as do emergency services, but regular appointments and non-urgent issues may be delayed.

The Salvation Army building in Yellowknife was added to the list of high exposure settings for COVID-19. Anyone who was at the Salvation Army and who slept there overnight on Aug. 15 through 19 must isolate for 10 days and arrange testing, regardless of their vaccination status.