Some Diamond Jenness Secondary School students and employees are now self-isolating and contact tracing is taking place within the Town of Hay River after a positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed.
The school posted a letter on its Facebook page on Sept. 16 stating that the Hay River public health unit and the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) have diagnosed an infected individual. Some staff, students and teachers may have been exposed.
“As a result, contact tracing is occurring and exposure letters have been sent to those who have been identified as having had contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19,” reads the letter.
All classes resumed in-person on Friday, with the exception of those in isolation.
The Hub submitted questions to the OCPHO on Sept. 17 but was unable to immediately determine the number of people in isolation or what the next steps will be to respond to the situation.
The Town of Hay River is asking residents to be extra careful given the increase in coronavirus cases in the NWT and other jurisdictions in Canada.
“With contact tracing now occurring within the town, people should take extra caution as the impact becomes better understood,” reads the municipality’s online post.
In recent weeks, the Town of Hay River has had low counts of COVID-19 cases compared to other communities, some of which have endured extensive outbreaks.
As of Thursday, the OCPHO reported that Hay River and the Katlodeeche First Nation had six total COVID-19 cases, with two of those active and four recovered.
Diamond Jenness Secondary School principal Lynne Beck directed inquiries to the OCPHO.
This story will be updated.