N.W.T. public health emergency extended for 18th time

The government of the Northwest Territories is extending the public health emergency until Dec. 8, it announced in a press release Wednesday.

Julie Green, the minister of health and social services, made the decision on the advice of N.W.T. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola, according to a press release issued Wednesday.

It is the 18th time the government has extended the public health emergency, which gives the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer the ability to create and enforce public health orders. 

It also allows the government to respond to needs for personal protective equipment, isolation space, enforcement and travel checkpoints during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated considerably across Canada in recent weeks as the country's caseload surged to its highest point in the pandemic," the news release reads.

According to the N.W.T. government's latest statistics, there have been 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the territory, all of which have recovered.

As of Wednesday, the N.W.T. is currently the only province or territory in Canada without any active cases of COVID-19.

Public health emergencies expire in two weeks unless they are extended by the minister of health of health and social services.