The Northwest Territories’ health minister renewed a territory-wide public health emergency for the 23rd time on Tuesday.
In a news release, the territorial government said the continued emergency was necessary to help make pandemic-related decisions, maintain preventative measures, and adapt to the changing Covid-19 situation.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated considerably across Canada in recent weeks as the country’s caseload surged to its highest point in the pandemic,” the territory said.
Under the territorial Public Health Act, a public health emergency expires every two weeks unless it is extended by the health minister. The latest extension of the public health measure will continue through February 16.
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A new case of Covid-19 in Fort Liard was announced on Monday night and is still being investigated by territorial officials. It is not connected to the recent cluster of cases in the hamlet, from which all six patients have fully recovered.
Instead, the latest, seventh case in Fort Liard is connected to travel outside the territory.
There are also four active Covid-19 cases connected to NWT’s Gahcho Kué mine.
Three have come from an outbreak at the mine’s winter road camp. The fourth case is located 40 kilometres away at the mine site itself.
To date, more than 12,000 people in the NWT have received their first dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.
So far, 125 individuals have received both doses.
