For the first time since mid-August, NWT reports no new Covid-19 cases

The Northwest Territories on Thursday reported no new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the territory’s first day of reporting without new cases since August 13.

An outbreak lasting almost three months has triggered a succession of strict pandemic-related measures in a range of the territory’s communities, but confidence is growing that those measures are now paying off.

Earlier this week, the territory’s chief public health officer said the NWT appeared to be moving out of the outbreak.

However, Dr Kami Kandola cautioned that the pandemic was not yet over and the present territory-wide restrictions – which rely to a large extent on residents showing proof of vaccination to enter some businesses or events – would remain throughout the winter.

The number of active Covid-19 cases across the NWT dropped from 73 to 64 on Thursday.

There remain seven active cases in Inuvik, where three new exposure notices were issued. The number of active cases fell from 21 to 16 in Behchokǫ̀ and 13 to 11 in Hay River.

In Yellowknife, the active case count fell from 32 to 30.

There were no newly reported hospitalizations, intensive care admissions, or deaths.

The NWT’s outbreak has involved 1,779 cases of Covid-19 since mid-August.