Nunavut’s COVID-19 cases sit at 442 as more schools set to reopen
49 active cases at Aaqqigiarvik Correctional Healing Facility, says justice minister
Nunavut’s chief public health officer, Dr. Michael Patterson, speaks at a public health briefing Thursday. The GN reported 442 COVID-19 cases, 20 less than two days before. (Photo by David Venn)
Nunavut has a total of 442 active COVID-19 cases as of Thursday, Premier P.J. Akeeagok announced during a public health briefing at the legislative assembly.
As of Thursday, 18 communities have reported active cases. There are 91 reported recoveries. During this outbreak there have been 775 reported recoveries total.
Justice Minister David Akeeagok said there are also 49 active COVID-19 cases at the Aaqqigiarvik Correctional Healing Facility in Iqaluit, with roughly 30 of those cases among inmates. There have been seven recoveries at the facility so far during the outbreak, he said.
As for how many inmates can be safely accommodated in the facility’s isolation wing, Akeeagok said he didn’t have specific numbers, but that “right now there are over 30 of them and if it needs to be adjusted we’re very fortunate that this is a new facility. If we need to adjust any more wings we are prepared to do that.”
Active cases by community:
- Arviat: 19
- Baker Lake: 44
- Cambridge Bay: 33
- Chesterfield Inlet: 2
- Coral Harbour: 23
- Igloolik: 87
- Iqaluit: 89
- Gjoa Haven: 1
- Kinngait: 14
- Kugluktuk: 4
- Pangnirtung: 8
- Pond Inlet: 13
- Qikiqtarjuaq: 5
- Rankin Inlet: 29
- Sanikiluaq: 21
- Sanirajak: 9
- Taloyoak: 36
- Whale Cove: 5
Starting Monday schools in Rankin Inlet and Arviat will open to 100 per cent capacity, said Dr. Michael Patterson, Nunavut’s chief public health officer.
“Active cases in both communities continue to decline and the risk to students who attend classes is low,” he said.
When asked why teachers in Nunavut, who are deemed non-essential workers, are being asked to teach classes in person, human resources minister Adam Arreak Lightstone said a balancing act “needs to be maintained” when it comes to in-class versus remote teaching.
“The safety of children, students and teachers is of course our top priority, but there are negatives associated with remote learning. The decision to continue with in-class learning really needs to take that into consideration,” Lightstone said.
“We’ve been going through the pandemic now for two years and our students and teachers … and I commend the students for adapting to changes that they’re seeing in their schools.”
COVID-19 news conferences will be scheduled once per week starting Tuesday, Feb. 8, Premier P.J. Akeeagok’s press secretary, Sima Sahar Zerehi, announced at the briefing.
As of next week, the GN will only be sharing case counts between Monday and Friday.
So are the other roughly 19 cases among correctional staff? How are they dealing with staffing shortages to ensure continued safety of the inmates?
Why is dep. Of motor vehicles still closed, what sense does that make?
Does it really matter though? They won’t pick up the phone regardless if they’re working in the building or from home.
Getting fed up with the useless people we voted for as they are doing nothing the people who call themselves ministers are just spokespersons, for Dr. Patterson. Why are they not enforcing their pretend laws. When can I go get groceries without risking my life as greeters are at the entrance without ny masks? When is the lame press going to stand up to this phoney show?
I totally agree, the press conference is a waste of time. They deflect instead of answering questions. For eg, the premier stuttered when asked why he did not attend the suicide prevention film made by the IHS students. He went on and on to say a few paragraphs of his thoughts before saying he wasn’t invited, one short answer is only what it took. And they are not very organised either, at least with Savikataaq, there seems to be more structure with the whole covid thing.
Too many Iqaluit taxi drivers either don’t understand the purpose of the masks they are being asked to wear or choose to ignore the purpose.
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Many, but not all, only put a mask over their nose and mouth when a fare is about to get into the taxi.
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Most masks provide significant protection to ssomeone standing in fron of the person wearing the mask. But most masks leak air out the sides of the mask.
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If both the passenger and the driver are wearing masks, there is little chance of the driver getting infected with COVID19, even if the passenger is infected. But that infected passenger wearing a mask (who may have no symptoms) is still putting COVID into the air in the taxi.
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If everyone getting into the taxi is properly masked, there is little chance of anyone getting infected before the virus settles to the floor or seat and dies.
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But if the driver takes off his mask to eat in the taxi, or while driving without a passenger, that driver is playing Russian Roulette. There is a significant risk of that driver getting COVID.
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A few days later the driver will be continuously putting COVID into the air inside the taxi when driving without a mask.
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All that COVID in the air in the taxi increases the likelihood that a passenger will draw air containing COVID through the gap between the side of the mask and a cheek, and from there into her lungs.
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So, taxi drivers, we need you, but we need you to drive responsibly.
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No one likes wearing a mask. Please wear yours responsibly, not for COVID theatre.