Active COVID-19 cases in Nunavik trend downward
Curfews lifted, other restrictions being eased in region
Inukjuak, seen here, reported the highest three-day COVID-19 case increase on Monday with 20 new cases out of a total of 24 active cases. (File photo by Sarah Rogers)
Nunavik’s active COVID-19 cases have taken a significant drop since last week.
The Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services reported 146 active cases on Monday, down from 230 on Jan. 28.
Between Saturday and Monday, the health board reported 65 new cases across the region, and 86 recoveries.
Kangiqsujuaq has the highest active count with 33 cases, nine of which were new since Friday. Inukjuak had the highest three-day increase with 20 new cases, making up the majority of the community’s 24 active cases.
Kangiqsualujjuaq reported zero active cases on Monday, nearly a month after reporting an active case count of 114. Aupaluk and Salluit also both reported zero active cases. Ivujivik and Tasiujaq reported one case in each community.
Last week the health board released an Omicron wave overview in Nunavik reporting deaths, hospitalizations and evacuations. Between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2, six Nunavimmiut were hospitalized in the region and two were evacuated to the south with COVID-19. In that same time frame, 59 new COVID-19 cases were individuals under the age of 18, and 143 cases were over the age of 18.
In the past week, the health board has updated several public health and travel restrictions in the region.
COVID-19 restrictions in Nunavik will now follow the Quebec government “with a two-week delay,” the board said on its Facebook page.
Curfews are no longer in place, and non-essential businesses are allowed to open with 50 per cent capacity. Bars, indoor dining and gyms remain closed.
The health board has also announced that children under the age of 13 are exempt from quarantine after returning to their communities from travel in the south or from another community in Nunavik.
Two weeks ago, the health board eased non-essential travel restrictions, but mandated a quarantine for travellers who have not received a third COVID-19 vaccine dose. Children travellers are still required to undergo screening, which allows them to go back to school and daycare upon returning to their communities.
The new travel measure is intended to “avoid penalizing children who do not qualify for a third dose,” the board said on Facebook.
UP, DOWN, UP DOWM , WONDER IN MAY , WILL IT BE UP OR DOWM
The Health Board and Town Municipalities are doing the best they can to stop the spreading of this COVID 19 VIRUS but it is up to each individual (teen or adult) to follow the guidelines that are in place to help the Inuit and those from the south who are working throughout Nunavik. The highest rate for COVID 19 Virus is probably older teens and young adults who do not listed to the guidelines set forth by the health board and town municipalities. The older teens and adults prefer to be smoking drugs and drinking liquor with 8, 9, 10 people in a small apartment and are in denial that they will not catch this deadly virus. There are no consequence’s for those who are supposed to be in quarantine but they still go visit family and friends and place other people lives in danger by going to the Northern Store or Co-op Store. Because they are Inuit, they believe they do not have to follow the guidelines set in place to protect all people within Nunavik.
the spread of covid will be pretty bad in inukjuak
they told us that we have to contact the people we had contact with by ourselves
out of the 2 people we told that we have covid, one isolated right away and the other one ignored us and just goes out and do whatever they want
By the time cases come out indicating lower numbers, there’s already an increased in numbers, due to the timing of testing and results availability. So as we speak, we only speak of the lagging , no real time. This is not over yet. I’m not going to be in for any surprises, as I brace for another increased, reaction to people letting the guard down, as numbers are reported fallen, thinking it’s over, nope not over yet with the threatening illness. That actually means in Nunavik we are far behind what southern places are experiencing as a new normal and living with the reality of permanency, but lots of immunity , we are, not enough immune, still in the woods in Nunavik.