A Covid-19 outbreak has been declared at the Inuvik Homeless Shelter.
An Oct. 13 notice from the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer said three infected individuals were present at both the Inuvik Warming Shelter locations and the Inuvik Homeless Shelter.
All individuals associated with the two facilities, including clients, workers or anyone who was present at the shelter locations from Oct. 6 onward should contact Inuvik Public Health immedietely at 777-7245 to arrange for testing and isolation advice.
The notice adds that public health was engaged in contact tracing.
“OCPHO is working closely with the shelter management and staff along with the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) and COVID Secretariat to ensure safe isolation space is available for the individuals with confirmed COVID-19 infections,” reads the notice. “NTHSSA is working closely with the shelters and Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to support testing of shelter staff and users.”
Inuvik’s Warming Shelter had opened earlier in October with limited hours of midnight to 8 a.m. Before the pandemic, it usually operated as a 24-hour walk-in facility.
Inuvialuit Regional Corporation has announced all Inuvialuit Corporate Group offices would be closed for the remainder of the week and there would be no staff to operate phones. All employees will be working from home. Gwich’in Tribal Council Grand Chief Ken Kyikavichik said the Chief Jim Koe Zheh office was closed to the public, though employees were working both at the office and from home.
Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation also announced it was closed, effective immediately. Tsiigehtchic Charter Community is asking its residents to limit travel until advised that it is safe to do so. The Roost restaurant announced pick-up orders have been suspended until further notice.