Nunavut government opens 2nd isolation hotel in Winnipeg

The Nunavut government opened a second isolation hotel for medical travellers in Winnipeg last week, according to the territory's premier.

The second isolation hotel openedlast weekfor people waiting to complete the 14-day isolation in order to return to the territory, Premier Joe Savikataaq announced Monday at the Legislative Assembly.At a press conference last week, the government said itwas working on this second location as there was up to a three-week waitfor people to start isolating.

Savikataaq said there are 170 rooms available as of Monday. He said the government wants to accommodate the backlogs for medical travel. He didn't specify which hotel has been added;Nunavummiut had only been isolating at Hilton Hotel in Winnipeg up until now.

"We hope to have everyone currently on the waiting list ... into isolation by early this week," he said.

Health Minister GeorgeHickessaid the idea of creating an Iqaluit isolation hub is not off the table.

"It's always going to be on the table, but it's not in play right now," said Hickes.

Hickes lateraddedthat on top of theisolation hotelsforgeneral travellers and medical travellers, there wasan additional hubin Winnipeg exclusivelyfor contract workers though helater clarified, saying thathub had closed down.

"To reclarifyor clarify my own words ...I was just informed we've actually closed the construction hub in Winnipeg," Hickes said.

He said the small number ofconstruction workers that are coming up to Nunavut areisolating in the general travellers' isolation hotel, "now that capacity has been dealt with medical travellers."

Officials with the Nunavut government updated its residents on the territory's response to COVID-19 Monday from the Legislative Assembly.

There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nunavut. As of Monday, the government website states there are 225people being investigated by public health for symptoms. In total, 1,719 have been investigated.

A public health emergency is extended until Aug.6.

On Friday, the Department of Education released its plan for reopening schools. As long as there remains no COVID-19 cases in Nunavut, students will return to school as usual with increased cleaning and fewer group activities.

Three presumptive cases announced this month at Mary River Mine near Pond Inlet have all been confirmed negative by an Ontario lab.

The press conference will also play on local cable, on channel 233, and will air at 4 p.m. ET on the CBC radio show Tusaajaksat.

Missed the press conference? Watch it here: