Anyone isolating in Hay River, Kt'odeeche First Nation since Jan. 1 urged to be tested for COVID-19

Northwest Territories health officials are urging anyone who has been in self-isolation in Hay River or Kt'odeeche First Nation since Jan. 1 to arrange for a COVID-19 test.

On Thursday, public health officials said wastewater testing suggested there are one or more cases of COVID-19 in the area.The Public Health Agency of Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory also reports a "persistent positive COVID-19 signal in Hay River wastewater" collected on Jan. 11, said Dr. Andy Delli-Pizzi, N.W.T.'s deputy chief public health officer, in a news release issued Saturday.

But so far, no one who has testedfor COVID-19 since then has been a positive case, said Delli-Pizzi.

"Currently, there is not enough information to confidently assess public risk," he said. "But with evidence pointing towards at least one undetected case of COVID-19 in Hay River, we are asking the public to assist in containing the situation quickly to prevent transmission."

Public health officials are also asking anyone who was self-isolating because they entered N.W.T. from another jurisdiction, and has been in Hay River orKt'odeeche First Nation since Jan. 1, to be tested. Residents who fit that criteria should be tested, regardless of symptoms.

Previously, public health officials had focused on people who were self-isolating between Jan. 1-6.

Public health officials are also urging essential workers, who were not self-isolating because they had an exemption to work in Hay River or Kt'odeeche First Nation since Jan. 1, to arrange for testing.

"High-risk essential service workers" who are notsymptomatic and were already tested as part of their permission to work, such as health-care workers, are exempt, said Delli-Pizzi.

People who were in any stage of their self-isolationin Hay River or Kt'odeeche First Nation since Jan. 1, but who have since left those communities, should contact the local health centre to arrange for a test.

Hay River testing clinic open this weekend

To accommodate the testing, public health officialsare extending the hours of a dedicated testing clinic.

The testing clinic in Hay River, located at 52 Woodland Drive, will run Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Residents looking to get tested should call public health at 867-874-8400 to book an appointment and a public health nurse will call back. The nurse can also help with arrangements for transportation to the clinic for those who need it.

Public health officials are urging those arriving for drive-thru testing to follow the signs, stay in their vehicles and wait their turn. They're also reminding people to wear a mask when they go for their test.

Delli-Pizzi is reminding people that if they do get a positive result, public health officials will follow up for contact tracing and to try to find where a person may have been exposed to COVID-19.