NWT down to two active Covid-19 cases as third patient recovers

A third patient with Covid-19 in the Northwest Territories has now officially recovered from the disease, the territory stated on Friday.

New testing data published shortly after noon shows three recoveries. Which of the five confirmed cases to date is the latest to recover has not been confirmed.

The previous two recoveries were the territory’s first and second identified cases – one in Yellowknife and one in Inuvik.

To be declared recovered, a person must have two Covid-19 tests 24 hours apart and then have each one come back negative.

The latest recovery leaves two cases still considered active. The NWT last confirmed a new case of Covid-19 on April 6.

So far, all five confirmed cases were directly related to travel.

Friday’s updated statistics show there have been 1,509 negative tests in the territory to date. Fifty-two tests are pending, meaning the NWT is awaiting lab results.

The territory expects to introduce new, much quicker forms of testing in the next month.

Dr Kami Kandola, the NWT’s chief public health officer, has said the new tests – which take less than an hour to provide a result – could eventually help the territory return to normality by allowing her to gauge with greater confidence whether certain areas are free of Covid-19.