Two more NWT residents die from Covid-19, fresh cases in Fort Simpson

The Northwest Territories has now reported nine deaths from Covid-19. The territory recorded two new deaths from the disease on Wednesday as case numbers grew in several communities.

Fort Simpson went from no active cases on Tuesday to six on Wednesday, while Hay River moved from eight active cases to 12. Inuvik recorded two new cases.

As is the territorial government’s policy, no detail was provided about either of the deaths other than the statement that the NWT had moved from seven deaths a day earlier to nine. The territory has reported three such deaths in the past two days. Hospitalizations rose by two with no new intensive care admissions.

Yellowknife and its surrounding communities now report 204 active cases with 11 new cases in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases fell by seven compared to Tuesday, suggesting a number of recoveries.

Behchokǫ̀, however, added 17 new cases as its active case count increased by 15 to 120. In Wekweètì, the one remaining active case ended (it isn’t clear what happened to that person as the territory no longer differentiates between recoveries and deaths in its community-by-community figures).

There was one new case in Fort Good Hope and one at the Snare Hydro worksite.

Overall, the NWT now has 356 active cases, an increase from 335 a day earlier but still some 100 cases below the outbreak’s peak to date, recorded last week.

The territory’s evening update regarding the pandemic was the latest of several developments on Wednesday. Earlier, a range of exposure warnings were issued while localized outbreaks were confirmed at Inuvik’s shelter and Hay River’s Diamond Jenness Secondary School.

Cab drivers in Yellowknife were urged to book Covid-19 tests following reports of several cases among drivers.