Rankin Inlet daycare gets COVID-19 exposure notice

A COVID-19 exposure notice has been issued for kids who went to Ivvavik Daycare in Rankin Inlet on Feb. 14, 15 and 17.

The Government of Nunavut made the announcement on social media on Wednesday, advising children to self-monitor for symptoms for 10 days from the last day they attended and to isolate immediately if symptoms develop.

There were 51 cases of COVID-19 in Rankin Inlet on Wednesday, up by 11 cases since the day before.

There are currently 385 active cases of COVID-19 across Nunavut.

Nunavut’s chief public health officer, Dr. Michael Patterson, has said the daily case count doesn’t reflect the actual COVID-19 situation in the territory as testing and contact tracing are limited.

Nunavut’s case counts, for example, don’t include people diagnosed based on their symptoms rather than through testing.

Since the start of the Omicron wave of the pandemic in mid-December, the territory has reported 1,561 recoveries, 23 hospitalizations and one death.

The GN is now only updating the recovery tally on Tuesday.

Here are Nunavut’s 385 cases by community:

• Arctic Bay — 1
• Arviat — 4
• Baker Lake — 15
• Cambridge Bay — 4
• Coral Harbour — 6
• Clyde River — 2
• Gjoa Haven — 20
• Igloolik — 30
• Iqaluit — 95
• Kinngait — 4
• Kugaaruk — 31
• Kugluktuk — 1
• Naujaat — 11
• Pangnirtung — 19
• Pond Inlet — 31
• Qikiqtarjuaq — 5
• Rankin Inlet — 51
• Resolute Bay — 5
• Sanikiluaq — 3
• Sanirajak — 24
• Taloyoak — 23

Baker Lake’s case count tripled, going from five to 15 from Tuesday to Wednesday, and Gjoa Haven’s count doubled, going from 10 to 20 cases on Wednesday.

Iqaluit still has the most cases, with 95, which Patterson has attributed to more travellers coming from the south, and those on medical travel who catch COVID-19 being counted towards Iqaluit’s numbers.

On Tuesday, Patterson announced the first case of the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron was detected in Iqaluit, but so far, it doesn’t seem to be spreading.

He also announced Nunavut will be following other jurisdictions’ leads and easing restrictions over the coming weeks and months, as Nunavummiut learn to live with COVID-19.

Patterson said the new approach will be similar to how other infections, like the flu, are handled.

Patterson, Premier P.J. Akeeagok and some territorial ministers are scheduled to give another COVID-19 update on March 1 at 11 a.m. ET, which can be streamed on the legislative assembly’s website.