There is no indication that the recent confirmed case of Covid-19 at the Diavik Diamond Mine poses any risk to NWT communities, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola said in a news release on Tuesday.
Following the positive Covid diagnosis of an individual at the mine on July 31, testing of all of the individual's contacts brought back negative results that were affirmed by Alberta Precision Labs.
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Those contacts have also been released from isolation and the individual who tested positive has returned home to Alberta.
"Because of rigorous controls, effective testing, and co-operation between Diavik and Public Health, we are confident in advising that there is no indication of any ongoing heightened risk as a result of this positive case," said Kandola.
"If you know people returning to the community after rotation, you should feel confident that there is no reason to believe your community is at any additional risk because of it."
Kandola added that Diavik workers returning for their next rotation should feel just as safe as last time and that if any workers were there during the Covid incident the safety measures worked to reduce the risk.
"The bottom line: there is no reason to be fearful, but there’s every reason to stay vigilant. Because while there’s never no risk, this case demonstrates that taking precautions can help you take more control over your risk of contracting Covid-19," she said.
The Diavik case doesn't add to the NWT's official tally of five Covid cases because under Public Health Agency of Canada reporting standards, the person lives in Alberta and will be included in Alberta’s count and not that of the territory.