A case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at the Meadowbank Complex and a Nunavummiuq worker who may have been exposed to the virus already left the mine site on Aug. 21, the Department of Health stated on Aug. 27.
The risk is considered low and the individual who departed Meadowbank is being followed by Public Health, according to Dr. Rosann Seviour, Nunavut’s acting chief public health officer. The Department of Health did not indicate the individual’s destination upon leaving the site.
The infected mine worker and other contacts are isolating at the mine, 110 km north of Baker Lake.
The Department of Health has temporarily suspended flights in and out Meadowbank while contact tracing is being completed.
The COVID-19 case was confirmed on Aug. 25 after the Department of Health was notified of a presumptive case on Aug. 24.
A worker at Baffinland’s Mary River mine, 160 km south of Pond Inlet, tested positive for the coronavirus on Aug. 10.
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms is urged to call the COVID hotline at 1-888-975-8601 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST or notify their community health centre right away by telephone to arrange testing. Please do not go to the health centre in
person.
COVID-19 vaccines are still available to all Nunavummiut aged 12 and older. Contact the local health centre to make an appointment.