Source of Iqaluit's first COVID-19 case not yet known, health officials say

Canadian North has confirmed that one of its employees has tested positive for COVID-19 in Iqaluit. The government of Nunavut reported the first case of the virus in Iqaluit Wednesday night.

The airline says it is assisting public health officials with contact tracing and says its services remain open and safe for the public, as it is following all safety protocols including regular cleaning and mandating mask wearing.

Nunavut's chief public health officer said the individual was an essential worker, who was permitted to skip the two week quarantine before entering the territory, however the person has been in Nunavut for 16 days.

"Based on the timeframe it's possible the individual contracted COVID-19 in Iqaluit," Dr. Michael Patterson said at a news conference Thursday morning. He said Iqaluit's public health team is contact tracing to identify any other positive cases.

The case was confirmed around 8 p.m. Wednesday, after the person became symptomatic earlier this week.

There were more than 10 people identified as contacts to be tested last night, all of whom are in Iqaluit.

Sampled being tested to determine variant

Patterson says a portion of the person's sample will be sent South for genome sequencing to determine if the case is a variant of COVID-19. He says those results will take about a week.

Once those results are known, the government will report the variant.

Premier Joe Savikataaq said 3,400 Iqalummiut have received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine, 2,000 of which are fully vaccinated.

About two weeks after the first dose, the risk of getting a severe COVID-19 infection is decreased by about 80 per cent, Patterson said. Two weeks after the second dose, the risk of severe symptoms is decreased by 94 per cent.

Vaccine appointments in Iqaluit will continue as scheduled, Patterson said. He asked Iqalummiut not to call and confirm their appointments, so as not to overload the staff.

Restrictions tighten across Qikiqtaaluk

Iqaluit is under Nunavut's strictest public health measures and communities across the Qikiqtaaluk restrictions have been tightened, as well as in Rankin Inlet.

There is currently no estimated end for Iqaluit's lockdown.However, Patterson said there are reasons to be optimistic.

"The situation is very different from when COVID-19 arrived in November because we've got vaccines ... [and] the highest risk individuals are already vaccinated," Patterson said.

As a result of the case, all non-essential businesses andgovernment offices were ordered to close this morning in Iqaluit as of 7 a.m. Schools will close for the rest of the week and masks are now mandatory.

The Nunavut Impact Review Board hearings into Baffinland's Phase 2 expansion at the Mary River Mine, which are taking place in Iqaluit, have also been suspended.

The case is having ripple effects across the territory.

The government is mandating that anyone who leftIqaluit onor after April 13must immediately isolate in their home community for 14 days when they arrive.

All schools in Baffin communities and in Rankin Inlet will also now move to Stage 2, in which elementary schools will continue at full capacity, and middle and high schools will reduce classes sizes by half.

WATCH | Miss the press conference? Watch it below: