Traces of Covid-19 have been detected in Yellowknife wastewater samples, according to an announcement from the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) Wednesday.
Chief public health officer (CPHO) Dr. Kami Kandola said that samples collected from the Nov. 30-Dec. 2 time frame indicated traces of the virus this week. As a result the OCPHO is calling for anyone in isolation from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 to take a Covid test.
The OCPHO indicated that Protect NWT would be contacting everyone by email and by phone who they recommend be tested, but that residents should not wait to hear from a government official before booking their Covid test. Kandola said in a Wednesday press conference that the OCPHO expects the number of people who need testing to be in the hundreds.
In addition to the testing centre at the Yellowknife Primary Care Clinic, testing will also be available for those isolating at the Chateau Nova isolation centre. Both locations operate from 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.
Scott Robertson, executive co-lead for the Covid-19 response with the Department of Health and Social Services (HSS), said the department is “confident we’re going to be able to expand our testing to meet the majority of our needs.”
He indicated that the NWT currently processes about 300 Covid tests each week at the Stanton and Inuvik hospitals. He said there is capacity to run at least 500 tests per week “without additional effort.”
One thing that can be done to increase capacity, he said, is a process called sample cooling, where multiple Covid tests are put into each cartridge and only examined further if the test comes back positive. He also said laboratories would be working additional hours to process the increase tests.
In spite of the positive detection, “there is no need for alarm,” Kandola said.
She explained that the wastewater testing system picks up the Covid-19 virus, but cannot detect whether the trace is dead or alive. That means the positive detection of Covid-19 could be from someone who has already recovered from the virus.
From Nov. 30-Dec. 9, Kandola said 300 Covid-19 tests have been conducted in Yellowknife and all have come back negative.
Since the source of the Covid wastewater detection is unknown, however, the extent of transmission remains unknown too.
“It could have been sourced from people who are self isolated, with minor or no symptoms,” Kandola said. “It could have been from someone who was on a layover and is now out of territory. But it also could mean that Covid-19 is circulated in our community.”
“We will work tirelessly throughout the week to get those answers,” she said.
Residents should continue to prioritize social distancing, wearing a mask in indoor spaces and continuous hand washing to protect themselves and others, Kandola advised.
She said “it is more important than ever” that anyone experiencing even minor symptoms stay home and self-isolate, whether or not you have travelled out of the territory.
Those who were isolating in Yellowknife between Nov. 30-Dec. 9, and have now returned to their home communities should also be tested, she said.
Anyone who is self-isolating because a member of their household has travelled should continue self-isolating but does not need to be tested unless they develop symptoms.
A second sample of wastewater testing, received Wednesday from the the Dec. 2-Dec. 4 time frame, indicated no change from the initial Nov. 30-Dec. 2 sample – i.e. it detected the same positive traces of the virus.
The wastewater samples travel for Winnipeg for testing, so there is a delay of about five days before the CPHO sees their results. Kandola said she expects to receive the results from the Dec. 4-Dec. 7 sample in the coming days.
As Covid cases continue to rise to over 6,000 daily across the country, and with holiday travel, Kandola said that importation is the NWT’s biggest Covid risk.
“Now is the time to hold tight, stick together and do what it takes to push back Covid-19 in our territory,” the NWT's top doc said.
Especially with the promise of a vaccine underway, “I know everyone has it in them to rise to this challenge,” she added.