The office of the chief public health officer (OCPHO) declared an outbreak at the Ekati Diamond Mine after a third case of COVID-19 was confirmed onsite, May 30.
The individual was identified as a contact of a previous positive case and was already isolating.
The OCPHO advised a delay to crew changes in order to minimize risk of workers transmitting COVID-19 offsite.
One COVID case has also been confirmed at the Diavik Diamond Mine from an out-of-territory worker who tested positive when he entered the territory.
All infected individuals and contacts are isolating at their respective mine sites and no risk has been identified to NWT communities.
The new cases at Diavik and Ekati come as all but one person have recovered from the outbreak in Yellowknife at N.J. MacPherson school. The OCPHO said it anticipates that the individual with the active case will have confirmed their recovery by Tuesday and the Yellowknife case count will then return to zero.
Dr. Kami Kandola announced in the release she is lifting her recommendation to avoid non-essential travel in and out of Yellowknife, Dettah, N’dilo and Behchoko. The mandatory masking order, however, will remain in place until at least the remainder of the school year.
The OCPHO reminds residents to continue keep a safe social distance, to stay home when you’re sick, to wash your hands frequently, wear a mask and to keep crowds small.