The Arctic Winter Games were cancelled on Saturday due to concerns over the novel COVID-19 virus. A press conference was held to announce the cancellation (see full coverage, in Sports).

Dr. Catherine Elliott, the acting Chief Medical Officer of the Yukon, made the recommendation to the City of Whitehorse, the Government of Yukon and the Arctic Winter Games Host Society.

The decision to recommend the cancellation of the Games involved consultation with the other chief medical officers of the nine contingents. Elliott noted public health preparations for the Arctic Winter Games, or any games, begin a long time in advance.

“With the event of COVID-19, we began conducting real-time rapid risk assessment factors that might impact the Games,” said Elliott.

“I’ve brought together the CMO of Health from the regions that are sending athletes to the Games and the Public Health Agency of Canada health operations and we worked with Canadian border services to assess all the communicable disease risks including COVID-19 and to co-ordinate risk-based mitigation and triggers for decision making.”

The novel coronavirus started in China in December 2019. Elliott said it has caused more than 100,000 cases globally, mostly in China, but the majority of the spread is outside of China.

COVID-19 is a contagious disease that spreads person-to-person rapidly through respiratory secretions. It is not spread through the air.

“COVID-19 has changed the world,” said Elliott. “It is a contagious disease that spreads from person to person rapidly through respiratory secretions.

“In a setting like the Arctic Winter Games, where people are sleeping and eating and playing together, the potential to spread is amplified greatly.

“Even in the absence of COVID-19 here, a single case of suspected COVID-19 would have serious impacts. For example, a person with a cough travelling to the Games would need to be isolated while waiting for results.

“The necessity for rapid and rigorous health response for that individual, for their contacts, for their guardians, and the isolation while waiting even for a negative result, the potential for fear, the concern here and the circumpolar North, these would be challenging in the setting of the Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse,” she added.

Although the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the Yukon remains low, Elliott said, preparations are underway if it does spread to the territory.

“I want to assure you that in Yukon, we are already responding to the potential threat of COVID-19,” said Elliott. “We are taking this time of low risk to mobilize our public health response and our preparedness for acute care services.

“We are actively monitoring for cases, conducting surveillance by leveraging our existing influenza surveillance systems.

“We are ready to ensure excellent care in a way that protects the health of our population and of an individual should COVID-19 arrive here.”

COVID-19 affects people differently, Elliott said. It is worse for the elderly and people with underlying medical issues. The fatality rate for the aged and the sick is two per cent.

Eighty per cent of people who contract the virus get mild to moderate disease and the person does not require hospitalization. Fourteen per cent develop critical disease which causes respiratory distress and five per cent develop critical disease where they have failure of an organ system.

Elliott said there is no vaccine and no specific treatment. She also said it is less severe than SARS but more contagious and it’s more severe than influenza but less contagious.

The anxiety COVID-19 is spreading throughout the world also makes the virus dangerous, said Elliott.

“Fear can be more dangerous than the virus itself,” said Elliott. It causes people to do things that are unwise, like stockpiling goods, trying to protect themselves in various ways and this is also a concern.”

Elliott told the crowd at Saturday’s announcement that scenarios were considered so the Games wouldn’t have to be outright cancelled; however, no scenario mitigated risk.

“In the next week, things are not likely to get better globally,” said Elliott. “The most likely scenario is more spread globally and potentially affecting more areas where people are coming to the Arctic Winter Games.”

Elliott said it was with a “heavy heart” that she made the recommendation since the Games are a way to bring together northern communities.

“It is with a heavy heart that I am making this recommendation. A heavy heart for all that has come together – for the planning and the dreams of so many.

“This is an event that can bring together so many northerners from across Canada and from other circumpolar regions – it is the beauty and the strength and the cohesion of northern peoples.

“This beauty, strength and cohesion must remain strong through this announcement and in the coming days.”

See related story and statement.