Ten new Covid-19 cases as NWT announces isolation change for kids

The Northwest Territories reported 10 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, all of them in Tuktoyaktuk, as the number of active cases in the NWT rose by three to 49.

Tuktoyaktuk has 39 of those active cases and has now reported 121 cases in total since an outbreak began in the Arctic coastal community earlier this month. Yellowknife has six active cases, a decrease of one.

Behchokǫ̀ now has no active Covid-19 cases for the first time since September 7.

There remains one active case in each of Norman Wells and Hay River, and two in Inuvik.

There was no change on Tuesday to the number of NWT hospitalizations, intensive care admissions, and deaths related to Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the territory’s chief public health officer said isolation rules after travel will be amended for children aged five to 11 who’ve had their first shot of the vaccine against Covid-19.

Though approved nationally, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged five to 11 has not yet arrived in the NWT. The territory’s health authority says no clinics for children that age have so far been scheduled, and more information will follow.

However, on Tuesday evening, Dr Kami Kandola’s office said children in that age group will become eligible for an exemption from self-isolation after their first shot.

“The amendment means that during a time period between first and second doses of vaccine, children will not be required to self-isolate upon return from travel to the NWT. This time period starts 14 days after a first dose is administered and ends eight weeks after a first dose is administered,” Dr Kandola’s office said in a news release.

“This means there will be six weeks in which a child can be exempt from self-isolation before they receive their second dose if all other requirements are also met. Children who have received their first dose of vaccine will require a day one and day eight Covid-19 test as part of their exemption from self-isolation, and must also self-isolate if they develop symptoms of Covid-19.”