Nunavut has reported one new case of COVID-19 Dec. 28, in Whale Cove. (File image)
Nunavut reports two new cases of COVID-19
One case is in Arviat, the other in Whale Cove
Nunavut announced two new active cases of COVID-19 Wednesday: one in hard-hit Arviat, the other in Whale Cove, where the virus has re-emerged after the community’s number of active cases had dropped the zero.
“This new case in Whale Cove demonstrates how quickly this virus can remerge in a community and how important it is for us to remain vigilant,” Dr. Michael Patterson, Nunavut’s chief public health officer said in news release Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s up to each of us to limit the spread and keep our communities and one another healthy over the holidays.”
Restrictions are tightening in Whale Cove, where, effective Dec. 24, only essential services are to remain open, with grocery stores operating at reduced hours. Indoor gatherings are limited to five people in addition to household members. Outdoor gatherings are also limited to five people or less. Masks are mandatory in public spaces and travel to and from the community is restricted.
The government says that contact tracing continues in all impacted communities and public health staff are monitoring everyone in isolation. As of Dec. 22, testing in Arviat has yielded 1,071 negative tests. Monitoring in Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove continues.
The government says anybody who thinks they have been exposed to COVID-19 should call 1-888-975-8601, or notify their community health centre, and immediately start a 14-day isolation.
“Please do not go to the health centre in person,” states the release.
Across Canada, 527,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported as of today, with 14,559 deaths and 436,000 recoveries.
Travel, travel, between community’s let’s go it’s Christmas, let’s spread it around non stop traffic from Arviat, look what’s happening in the south, covid inbound on calmair.
Sam are people allowed to travel out of Arviat to other communities? That’s a huge risk if they are allowed right now.
More questions come up with how Whale Cove was cleared free of Covid and now someone is infected, how does that happen, how did the person get infected when Whale was declared Covid free?
Does this mean Rankin could have the same risks as Whale?
If not travel related, then most likely undetected community transmission.