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First NWT COVID-19 case in Yellowknife

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The infected individual is a worker from outside the NWT and the person is self-isolating, said chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola. Wikimedia commons photo

One person in the NWT has tested positive for COVID-19, the chief public health officer (CPHO) confirmed on Saturday.

"The individual’s condition has improved and they are recovering at home. Our investigation determines the individual traveled to British Columbia and Alberta. They returned home to Yellowknife and self-isolated as recommended, along with their household, after developing mild symptoms three days after their return," said CPHO Kami Kandola in a statement.

The top doctor added that people who had close contact with the person are being notified to self-isolate immediately.

The size of Yellowknife allows privacy to be protected but in case the virus spreads to smaller communities, the public should not expect to be informed of the community,  Kandola said.

As of Saturday morning there have been 299 COVID-19 tests conducted in the NWT with one positive and the health chief has mandated an aggressive testing strategy to identify and respond to the spread of the virus.

The announcement of the positive case follows a border closure order announced by Kandola on Friday night.

There were at least 1,049 positive cases of COVID-19 across Canada, and 13 deaths as of Saturday morning, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.