Dr. Brendan Hanley, the Yukon’s chief medical officer of health, has issued two separate notifications regarding potential exposures for COVID-19 over the weekend.

One is a notification for the 1:35 p.m. Air North flight from Vancouver to Whitehorse on Saturday, April 3.

“A person from out of territory has tested positive several days after arriving in Yukon,” Hanley stated in a press release.

“The person is self-isolating and recovering. In addition to this public notification, contact tracing with passengers seated in close proximity to the case is underway. We are confident that all standard protocols were adhered to.

“Although the risk of exposure is low on flights, we are taking a precautionary approach,” Hanley added.

“Contact tracing for the case is underway, and to date, no other exposures of concern have been identified in Yukon.”

The second notice is for the 6:30 p.m. flight from Vancouver to Whitehorse on Sunday, April 4.

Hanley said new information has become available regarding a previous case.

“This person was infected with the variant B.1.1.7 while outside Yukon,” he said.

“They had originally been cleared to travel, but based on new information it was determined they were infectious while on the flight.

“In addition to this public notification, contact tracing with passengers seated in close proximity to the case is underway. No other exposures of concern have been identified in Yukon.

“This person followed all public health advice and is now determined to be recovered,” Hanley added. “There remain no active cases of COVID-19 in Yukon.” 

The person is question is a Whitehorse resident who has travelled internationally.

When the person entered Canada, mandatory testing indicated a presumptive positive case.

Health officials at the point of entry – which has not been revealed – assessed the situation and decided the person was not infectious.

That has now been deemed an error.