Nunavut reports 1st case of COVID-19 in Pond Inlet
Nunavut has reported its first case of COVID-19 in the community of Pond Inlet, according to Nunavut's Chief Public Health Officer Michael Patterson.
The territory was the last provincial and territorial jurisdiction remaining in Canada to have zero cases until Thursday.
The individual is in isolation and doing well, according to the territorial government in a news release sent Thursday morning.
"We did anticipate that it was only a matter of time before our territory had a confirmed case, and unfortunately today is that day," said Patterson in the news release.
Go here for our complete coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic
Patterson said contact tracing has started in the community, and the government's rapid response team is on its way to Pond Inlet now to provide care and help the community manage.
The rapid response team is scheduled to arrive early this afternoon, when it will begin setting up containment measures for the virus, Patterson said. The health centre is well-staffed to deal with this, he said.
Until the extent of the spread has been determined in Pond Inlet, Patterson said all non-essential offices are to be closed and there are to be no gatherings in homes.
File photo of Pond Inlet. Courtesy: Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 3.0
"We recognize that this news may be frightening," Patterson said. Critical services will be maintained, including access to services such as heat, water and sewer, and communications will not be cut off.
All travel to and from Pond Inlet is restricted, with the exception of cargo and emergency travel, the news release states. This includes travel by air and by land.
Pond Inlet is a community of just over 1,600 people on the northeastern coast of Baffin Island.
"There is no need to panic. Nunavut has had time to prepare, and we are in a solid position to manage this. We ask people not to place any blame, not to shame and to support communities and each other as we overcome COVID-19 in Nunavut," Premier Joe Savikataaq is quoted as saying in the news release.
A press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET, where the government will provide more information. The CBC will be streaming live on this page and the CBC Nunavut Facebook page.
VIDEO: HOW RISKY IS SURFACE TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19?
NAMING SMALL COMMUNITIES UNLIKE OTHER TERRITORIES
Of the three territories, Nunavut is the only territory that is publicly naming small communities with COVID-19 cases. Patterson said this is because confirmed cases will concern people in all 25 of Nunavut's communities and the government doesn't have the capacity to manage a surge of people getting tested at its health centres.
With this approach, health-care staff can be sent to the affected communities to ensure the work that needs to be done is.
Other than the community, no specifics on the individual will be released by the government.
Anyone with reasons to believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 is advised to self-isolate immediately for 14 days, to call the territory's COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-975-8601 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., or call their community's health centre immediately. People are advised to not go in person to a health centre.
This article was written for the CBC.