The Yukon has called in the calvary from the federal government and other territories and provinces as it strains to handle the expanding COVID-19 outbreak.

So far, seven nurses from Ontario are expected to arrive in the next week or so, the Yukon’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Brendan Hanley, announced at this morning’s weekly COVID briefing.

The Yukon government has reached out to other jurisdictions for help, as a fifth fatality has occurred and case numbers continue to rise.

Ten new cases were announced Tuesday evening, along with the death.

Total cases at that time were 342.

Tracey-Anne McPhee, the minister of Health and Social Services, said the federal government has been monitoring the situation in the territory, and had already offered to provide more in-the-field assistance.

“This is not the summer we were planning,” Hanley said, showing obvious disappointment.

The strain on health resources is starting to show, as public health officials are struggling simply to keep up with the ever-changing number of cases, hospitalizations, recoveries and contact tracing.

Hanley said there was either “eight or nine” COVID patients hospitalized currently.

He couldn’t be positive because of the fluctuating information being provided to him.

“It’s a very serious situation,” McPhee added.

She said the new death is “incredibly bad news.”

“We’re witnessing widespread community spread,” she added. “It’s not where we want to be.”

Contact tracing is becoming nearly impossible, McPhee said, due to the crush of cases.

In many cases, people diagnosed with COVID can’t identify every person they’ve been in contact with.

“It’s an immense strain on resources.”

Hanley concurred, and said “we are being challenged by the many cases. It’s a strain on our public health capacity. It’s no longer just an outbreak.”

All of the recent deaths have occurred amongst older individuals, Hanley said. Most had underlying health conditions.

Twelve per cent of cases have been amongst fully vaccinated people. Generally, vaccines are expected to work in 90 to 95 per cent of cases. All but one are showing mild symptoms.

The exception is a senior with some underlying conditions, but she is doing well, Hanley said.

He said the government will start releasing case counts by communities twice a week starting in July.

Most of the Yukon communities have already been doing so on an informal basis.

The bulk of the community spread is among unvaccinated people, Hanley said. That’s the same message he’s passed on since the outbreak started early in June.

He continued to plead for people to get their shots, as did McPhee.

The 10-years-old to 29-years-old age groups are being particularly hard hit, and that’s where the cases are centred.

Hanley said the high levels of vaccination in the Yukon population are the reason why the situation isn’t worse.

“We could have 10 times the death rate,” he said.

As the situation stands, “we could be seeing a lot of cases for a long time,” Hanley said.

That’s why he’s pleading with territorial residents to keep their social bubbles small. A maximum of six people is the number he’s recommending for informal gatherings.

People could allow up to 10 people at outdoor gatherings.

He asked people to postpone events wherever possible.

“It’s a critical time and we need to take action.”

He said the earlier steps are taken, the sooner the cases could be brought down to reasonable levels.

If people could modify their behaviour sufficiently, the situation could resolve itself in two to four weeks.

If not, the infections could continue into the fall.

“We’re hoping the risk is clear enough for people to co-operate.”

“Behavioural changes can help make this stop,” McPhee added.

Since the vaccination level is so high in the Yukon, Hanley and McPhee said they’re not prepared to introduce more restrictions as yet, although it’s an option for the future.

“We need to come together and stay apart,” he said. “We have to be thinking of next steps, though.”

In response to questions, Hanley tried to explain why there is such a huge difference this year as compared to the spring of 2020.

People might have expected things to have improved now because of the successful vaccine campaign.

Graduation parties and socializing amongst young adults are being blamed for the outbreak now, but Hanley acknowledged that would have happened to some extent last year as well.

He said, though, that in 2020, with COVID being a fresh threat, people likely took it more seriously and followed health precautions more zealously.

Now, with more than a year of COVID fatigue showing, Hanley said people have simply relaxed their approach to the virus.

Combined with the current outbreak being attributed to a variant, which is more infectious, Hanley said conditions were ripe for this to happen.

Hanley has also issued a new exposure notice.

Anyone who was at the 98 Hotel between Saturday, June 19, and Sunday, June 27 during opening hours should seek testing and stay home if they have any symptoms, the notice says.

He also issued a closure notice for Bambinos Bilingual Montessori Daycare from the past Monday to July 9 as a result of transmission within the daycare.

The office is issuing letters to all Yukon daycares reminding them of the need to practise infection control protocols, and to screen both staff and attendees for illness daily, ensuring that those who are ill are not working or attending the facility.

Going forward, daycares where transmission has occurred will be publicly identified.

So far, Whitehorse General Hospital is managing to keep pace with the outbreak.

“Yukon’s hospitals and the broader health system currently have adequate access to ventilators and all required personnel and supplies needed to operate them,” said the hospital’s manager of communications, Matthew Davidson.

“The number of ventilators is just one consideration, and tells one part of the story. We also need to understand what’s needed to operate them such as trained personnel and oxygen supply.”

The hospital has six ventilators in its four-bed Intensive Care Unit, as well as a mobile ventilator for transfers to ensure patients can move safely among facilities.

Each community hospital has a mobile ventilator.

“We also have access to additional ventilators and supplies from the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Emergency Stockpile System,” Davidson said.

“Yukon can also medevac critically ill patients to other health facilities when required.”

Davidson said he does not have any information as to whether more Yukon patients are being moved to provinces for treatment. 

“I do not have recent or current data on medevacs,” he said.