Recent COVID-19 case in Kuujjuaq leads to 2 more isolations

Nunavik health officials have ordered two more residents to isolate after having contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 in Kuujjuaq last week.

The Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services announced a new case of the virus in Kuujjuaq on Feb. 17. Two days later, the board said 17 “significant contacts” would have to quarantine for a two-week period.

Now a total of 19 people have been identified as contacts and placed in quarantine, the board said on Wednesday. None have tested positive for the virus.

“Under normal circumstances, these contacts would not have been considered significant,” said health board spokeswoman Josée Levesque in an email.

“But [after] the laboratory result suggesting that the [Feb. 17] case could be very contagious, a cautious approach was chosen; isolation of these contacts, immediate screening on day 5 and on day 12.”

The risk of another case among contacts in isolation remains low, she added.

The original case that led to these isolations was infected in the south before testing positive in Kuujjuaq, where they are now in isolation, according to the health board.

Health officials will not release any other information about the individual.

“Like all travellers, they must get tested within 96 hours before their flight, present a negative COVID-19 test result the day of departure and get tested again seven days after arrival,” the board confirmed in a separate email.

General vaccination clinics are underway across the region.

To date, 4,062 Nunavimmiut have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Nunavik.

Nunavimmiut who have missed a clinic in their home community can still call their local health centre to ask to be vaccinated by appointment.