Behchokǫ̀ seniors home listed as Covid-19 outbreak site

The Northwest Territories government identified the Jimmy Erasmus Seniors Home in Behchokǫ̀ as a Covid-19 outbreak site on Thursday evening, as the number of active cases across the territory again surpassed 1,000.

Anyone who was at the seniors home as of Wednesday, January 26, should self-monitor and – if they develop symptoms –immediately isolate and get tested.

There are now 1,033 active cases of Covid-19 across the NWT, an increase of 44 on Wednesday’s figures. Of those cases, 454 are in the Yellowknife region, 159 in the Beaufort Delta, 146 in the Dehcho, 112 in the Tłı̨chǫ region, 95 in the Hay River area, 44 in Fort Smith, and 23 in the Sahtu. 

Over the past seven days there have been 785 new Covid-19 infections in the NWT. The territory reported one additional hospitalization on Thursday.

NWT’s chief public health officer, Dr Kami Kandola, recently said Covid-19 modelling predicts the territory will see 100 new daily infections until mid-February. Real data, she said, indicates the peak of the Omicron wave may have already passed. 

The territory also issued a number of new Covid-19 exposure notifications on Thursday evening, including for two shelters in Yellowknife. 

Anyone who attended the following locations is advised to self-monitor and, if they develop symptoms, isolate and get tested. Anyone who is not fully vaccinated should get tested on day four regardless of symptoms. 

• The day shelter at Yellowknife’s former visitor’s center between January 23 and 26 (Previous exposure notices were issued for this location from January 19 to 21, and between 7 and 11am from January 17 to 18)
• The Salvation Army in Yellowknife  between January 23 to 26 overnight (Previous exposure notifications for this location were issued for January 18 overnight and all day on January 17)
• Vital Abel Boarding Home in Yellowknife from January 24 to 26 
• Aurora College’s Thebacha Campus on January 24 from 8:30am to 4pm

An exposure notification issued for Gardererie Plein Soleil daycare in Yellowknife on Wednesday has been rescinded.