2 positive cases of COVID-19 at Imperial Oil worksite in Norman Wells

Two cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Norman Wells. Both are at the Imperial Oil work site in the community.

The Town of Norman Wells, N.W.T., firstannounceda positive case of COVID-19 at an Imperial Oil worksitein the community Wednesday afternoon.

The announcement was posted to the town's Facebook page. According to the notice, signed by Mayor Frank Pope, a transient worker arrived in Norman Wells on Tuesday on an Imperial Oil charter flight from Edmonton.

A notice from the oil company, posted to the Norman Wells Announcements Facebook page the same day, says the person is in isolation and has no symptoms. It says the company is following the guidance of the territory and has taken "precautionarymeasures"to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The Office of the Chief Public Health Officer later confirmed two cases of COVID-19 at the work site.

According to Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola the cases involve non-resident workers diagnosed "on inbound screening" who did not become infected at the work site. The two cases are said not to belinked.

Kandola said contact tracing is underway and there is no public exposure risk to announce.

Masks are not currently mandatory in the community but are recommended.

In astatement posted to Facebook, Norman Wells Mayor Frank Popesaid: "I would like to remind everyone to not let your guards down."

"We have been successful in beating this pandemic so far. We are all in this together."

The N.W.T. currently has nine cases of COVID-19. Six are in Yellowknife and one is in Inuvik.