Nunavik hits 301 active COVID-19 cases
Vaccination rate across region was 52 per cent as of Dec. 17
Kuujjuaq was the fifth Nunavik community to be added to the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services “red alert” list after reporting five new and 35 active COVID-19 cases on Friday. (File photo by Sarah Rogers)
Nunavik residents are coming out of a weekend that started with the region passing another COVID-19 milestone.
On Friday, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services reported 48 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the region to a total of 301 active cases.
Over a third of all active cases were reported in Kangiqsualujjuaq, which had 14 new cases among a total of 114.
Kuujjuaq became the fifth Nunavik community to be added to the “red alert” list on Friday after it reported 35 active cases, five of which were new. The other four red communities, in which non-essential businesses and services are closed, include Kangiqsualujjuaq, Tasiujaq, Puvirnutuq and Ivujivik.
The rest of Nunavik remains under “orange-plus” restrictions, which include the closure of most non-essential businesses and services. A curfew remains in place from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., but some essential care visits are allowed.
The health board released new immunization levels for each Nunavik community, as of Dec. 17. The numbers showed that 52 per cent of Nunavimmiut have received at least two COVID-19 vaccine doses. Nunavik’s numbers fall behind the 78 per cent of Quebeckers who have received at least two doses.
Children ages five to 11 began receiving COVID-19 vaccines earlier last month. Despite setting a goal of vaccinating every child in that age group by Christmas, the Dec. 17 numbers showed at only 40 per cent of them had received at least one dose.
Got my booster shot today.