COVID-19 in Yukon: 24 new cases, new exposure notices for 4 schools

Yukon health officials have confirmed 24 new cases of COVID-19 in the last three days, and have also issued new exposure notices for four schools, and a Whitehorse school bus.

The new cases were confirmed between noon Friday and noon Monday. Fifteen of the cases involve Yukon residents and four of those are from a rural community. The other nine new cases involve out-of-territory residents who were diagnosed in Yukon.

As of Monday, there were 79 active cases in Yukon.

The new exposure notices are:

• Wellness Centre at the Canada Games Centre, Whitehorse, Oct. 19, 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• École Selkirk Elementary School, Whitehorse, Grade 2/3 combined class (English), Oct. 21.
• Golden Horn Elementary School, Whitehorse, Grade 2/3 combined class, Oct. 20.
• Elijah Smith Elementary School, Whitehorse, Grade 2/3 combined class, Oct. 18.
• Johnson Elementary School, Watson Lake, Grade 3, Oct. 21.
• Route #40 school bus, between Golden Horn School and the Whitehorse Copper, Blaker Place, Spruce Hill, Golden Horn areas, morning and afternoon, Oct. 20. 

Health officials say students and staff in all of the affected classrooms have been notified by the Yukon Centre for Disease Control. 

Anybody subject to the new Canada Games Centre exposure notice is advised to monitor for symptoms and get tested if symptoms develop.

Also on Monday, health officials gave some details about the ages of those diagnosed with COVID-19 in the territory in recent weeks. The largest proportion of cases were among people in their 30s.

Of the 123 cases diagnosed between Oct. 1 and 19:

• 14 per cent were aged 29 or younger.
• 26 per cent were aged 30 to 39.
• 10 per cent were aged 40 to 49.
• 12 per cent were aged 50 to 59.
• eight per cent were aged 60 to 69.
• two per cent were aged 70 to 79.