There were six active cases of COVID-19 in Arviat on Wednesday, the first day of the second vaccine clinic in the community, after one new case was reported. (File photo)
1 new COVID-19 case in Arviat as 2nd vaccine clinic starts
Overcrowding and visiting contributing to community spread, says chief medical officer
One new case of COVID-19 was reported in Nunavut on Wednesday, bringing the territory’s total case count to six, all of which are in Arviat.
Both overcrowding and visiting are contributing to the spread of the virus in the community, Dr. Michael Patterson, Nunavut’s chief public health officer, said in a news release.
“While we are not seeing a surge in cases as we did in November, household transmission is ongoing,” Patterson said.
Everyone with the virus is doing well and isolating at home, and contact tracing is ongoing, according to the release.
Vaccine clinics for the second dose will take place in Arviat from Wednesday to Saturday.
Arviammiut who want to receive their first dose of the vaccine can still call the local health centre for an appointment, but priority will be given to those getting their second dose, the release said.
As of Feb. 10, 1,904 COVID-19 tests done in Arviat have come back negative.
Travel in and out of Arviat is still limited to emergency or essential purposes.
There have been 300 cases to date across Nunavut, with 256 of those cases coming from Arviat. There has been one death.
Across the territory, 6,126 doses of the vaccine have been given, according to the Government of Nunavut’s online tracker.
People still travelling out of Arviat to other communities, I hope they at least get tested before the fly out. Seems to be a huge risk for letting people travel out when there are still new cases each time they send out Covid tests.
Why does Arviat get the 2 dosage first before the rest? I hope there will be no transmission to other communities.