Four additional individuals have tested positive for Covid-19 in Fort Smith, and a presumptive positive case at the Diavik Diamond Mine has been confirmed, chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola said in a news release on Thursday.
The cases in Fort Smith are the result of household transmission from the confirmed case reported on Wednesday, and was connected to travel outside the NWT.
All individuals continue to isolate and are recovering safely at-home, Kandola said.
A contact investigation indicates there are no outstanding contacts in the NWT and no public risk identified for any NWT communities or recent air travelers.
The presumptive positive case of coronavirus found at the Diavik Mine on Wednesday has been confirmed as positive, Kandola added. A positive case at the Gahcho Kué Diamond Mine was announced on Wednesday as well.
All contacts are isolating at Diavik. Public health authorities are working with the mine's medical staff to monitor the situation, but there is no indication of an outbreak nor additional risk to NWT communities.
The individuals at Diavik and Gahcho Kué are said to be from Alberta and won't be counted in the NWT's statistics on Covid.
"While there is a natural anxiety which comes from seeing additional cases, the most important thing to remember is that the risk has not changed for the general public," Kandola said.
She urged the public to continue practicing healthy habits such as maintaining physical distance of at least six feet, wearing a non-medical mask when going out, keeping crowds small and spaces large, washing hands frequently and staying home if feeling sick.
The latest cases bring to 15 the total number of Covid infections in the NWT. The four infections reported in October have all recovered.