COVID-19 surges prompt emergency measures in some northern communities – APTN
Nov 12, 2021
Some northern communities are already getting hit hard as the nation braces itself for a possible rise in COVID-19 cases.
In the Northwest Territories, a 10-day containment order is in effect for Tuktoyaktuk. The remote northern hamlet has been hit with 72 cases.
“It’s a ghost town right now. It’s really challenging right now for this community because of our limited resources,” said Mayor Erwin Elias.
For such a small community the surge has been a learning curve, Elias said. All non-essential businesses are closed. Masks are mandatory and schools have switched to remote learning.
“We went right back to — I don’t know if you call it phase one — a year and a half ago when we really tightened up the restrictions.”
A territorial rapid response team has been sent to Tuk to help local health-care workers, and the containment order is expected to end at midnight on Nov. 19.
Meanwhile, Nunavik in northern Quebec is home to 14 Inuit communities and has the highest infection rate in the province. Thirty new cases have been reported this week with 259 active cases.
