Dr. Catherine Elliott, the territory’s acting chief medical officer of health, has reported 44 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 from noon last Wednesday through noon Friday.

Thirty-four are residents of Whitehorse. Five are residents of Carmacks, while five live in Watson Lake.

Added to the 23 reported from last Monday to Wednesday, the total is 67 new cases in five days.

Case data from the weekend were unavailable from the Yukon government before press time this afternoon.

The number of active cases as of Friday afternoon was 102.

With the rising numbers of infected people, many of whom have no known connection to other known cases or exposures sites, Elliott has confirmed there is now widespread community transmission of COVID-19 in Whitehorse.

The total number of confirmed cases in Yukon residents since March 2020 is 1,017.

Since March 2020, 907 people have recovered, while 10 people have died.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education has sent an “urgent notice” to parents of students attending École Whitehorse Elementary School.

It informs them that Yukon Communicable Disease Control (YCDC) has confirmed positive COVID-19 cases affecting multiple classes:

• Grades 3/4 split (updated);

• Grades 4/5 split (updated);

• Grade 7b (new);

• Bus #29 (new).

Parents have been advised of specific clinical direction for students and staff regarding who needs to self-isolate, who needs to be tested for COVID-19, and who needs to self-monitor for symptoms.

École Whitehorse Elementary School remains open and is following its Operational Plan for Communicable Disease.

Department officials continue to work closely with Elliott and YCDC to ensure necessary measures are in place to protect all students and staff.

Parental notifications of COVID exposure alerts have gone out in recent days involving several Yukon schools.

Elliott has also issued an exposure notice regarding a Halloween concert held at The Local Bar, 206 Jarvis St., Whitehorse. The event took place from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

Employees of the Yukon Housing Corp. in Whitehorse were notified via their work email addresses Friday evening of a potential exposure alert for their Jarvis Street building.

This morning, the corporation was unable to provide the Star with such details as the number of employees involved, the ramifications for their work plans this week, or whether they were alerted at their homes over the weekend so they could take precautions as soon as possibe.

“With widespread community transmission of COVID-19 in Whitehorse, I am urging all Yukoners to wear a mask indoors and those who are not vaccinated to stick to six for their gatherings,” Elliott said.

“This is the time to use the protections we know well, and it has never been a better time to get vaccinated.”

People from out of the territory who are diagnosed in the Yukon are counted in the territory’s active case count but not in the Yukon’s total case count as they are counted in their home jurisdiction.

Elliott strongly encourages Yukoners to follow public health recommendations:

A rapid testing team was in Carmacks over the weekend, and clinics continue there until 6 p.m. today.

Anyone experiencing symptoms in Whitehorse should call the COVID-19 Testing and Assessment Centre at 867-393-3083 or book online to arrange for testing.

People in communities should contact their rural community health centre.

COVID-19 and its variants spread easily, Elliott is reminding the public.

People can pass infection on even if they do not have any symptoms.

Everyone aged 12 and older can get vaccinated in the Yukon.