Two Nunavik residents die with COVID-19

Two Nunavik residents infected with COVID-19 have died, the region’s health board announced Thursday.

Both residents were hospitalized in the south for other health issues and were infected with COVID-19 while in hospital, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services said in a news release.

The health board said it couldn’t confirm if the two Nunavimmiut died as a result of the virus, but because both residents had the virus at the time of their deaths, they will be counted among those who have died of COVID-19.

These are the first two official COVID-19 deaths of Nunavik residents.

The health board did not identify the two people nor did officials say when they died. But officials said neither had any significant contact with anyone currently in the region.

“The NRBHSS would like to extend its condolences to the families, the community and those close to those who passed away,” the news release states.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 41 cases of COVID-19 among Nunavik residents; one of those is considered active.

A Nunavik woman who had lived in a Montreal long-term care facility for many years died of the virus in April 2020, though she wasn’t counted in the region’s statistics.

Just over 4,000 Nunavimmiut have been vaccinated against the virus so far.

Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, an unusual cough, difficulty breathing, a loss of smell or taste, nasal congestion or a sore throat, should call the region’s COVID-19 health line at 1-888-662-7482 or their local health centre.