IQALUIT – Nunavut is ordering a two-week shutdown of non-essential businesses and schools due to the spread of COVID-19.

The government said today the mandatory restrictions are to begin Wednesday.

It says child-care centres are also to close to all children except for those of essential workers.

All health centres are also to close except for emergency services.

Premier Joe Savikataaq said today everyone needs to do their part so the territory can be in a better position in December.

Nunavut recorded its first COVID-19 infection at the beginning of this month, and now has 18 cases.

Late last week, another case was confirmed in western Nunavut to add to the territory’s three other infections.

At that point, the cases prompted Dr. Michael Patterson, chief public health officer, to close the Kivalliq region’s schools, make masks mandatory in public and restrict flights starting yesterday.

“Considering there are now two cases in the region, we have decided to tighten restrictions and increase public health measures across the Kivalliq,” Patterson said Friday.

Patterson said an Arviat resident returned to the town of about 2,600 earlier this month after spending 14 days in mandatory isolation in a Winnipeg hotel.

Anyone who leaves the territory must complete a 14-day isolation period in a hotel in southern Canada before flying back.

Seven days after returning home, the resident became ill and was flown to Winnipeg for medical treatment, where a COVID-19 test came back positive.

Patterson said the Arviat resident was not tested for COVID-19 in Arviat because the person didn’t have symptoms at the time.

An earlier positive case in Rankin Inlet, also in the Kivalliq region, completed isolation in Winnipeg as well and has a similar travel history to the Arviat case.

Patterson said the common travel history is concerning, but it’s not certain how the two were exposed to the novel coronavirus after isolating.

“There’s no known link right now, but we can’t say that there isn’t one,” he said. “The exposure happened after isolation or at the end of isolation.”

Nunavut had been free of COVID-19 until 2 ½ weeks ago.

In the Northwest Territories, four more cases of the illness have been confirmed – all related to the same household in Fort Smith.

A statement from the territory’s chief public health officer, Dr. Kami Kondala, said all contacts have been identified and there is no risk to the public.

“This is an instance of household transmission related to the case of COVID-19 in Fort Smith announced on Nov. 11,” Kondala said. “This was connected to travel outside the N.W.T.”

The N.W.T. has had a total of 15 cases, five of which are active.

By Emma Tranter
The Canadian Press