Photo by Vince Fedoroff
Dr. Brendan Hanley
Two more COVID-19 cases reported in territory
Dr. Brendan Hanley, the Yukon’s chief medical health officer, confirmed two additional cases of COVID-19 in the territory Monday afternoon.
Dr. Brendan Hanley, the Yukon’s chief medical health officer, confirmed two additional cases of COVID-19 in the territory Monday afternoon.
The confirmation brings the total number of cases in the Yukon to 17 since the first case was announced lastMarch 22.
The positive diagnosis was determined Sunday.
Contact tracing has been completed and Yukon Communicable Disease Control (YCDC) has been in touch with all contacts.
The new COVID cases are linked to travel.
Two individuals returned to Whitehorse after travelling outside of the territory – and were following self-isolation measures.
They began to feel mild symptoms, which were confirmed as the novel coronavirus.
The two individuals are currently recovering at home. Hanley does not release details about Yukoners who have been afflicted with the virus.
“This serves as a reminder that all people with symptoms, even if mild, should consider COVID-19 as a possibility; use the COVID-19 self-assessment tool and follow the testing advice,” the Yukon government said.
The most common way that people experience the COVID-19 infection is with mild symptoms: cough, fever, chills, difficulty breathing or loss of sense of taste or smell.
Using the “traffic light” guidance may also help to decide what to do for symptoms that resolve quickly for people who have not travelled.
People are reminded that anyone who develops these symptoms, regardless of how mild, should self-isolate immediately and arrange for testing.
Testing is available during normal operating hours of community health centres.
In Whitehorse, testing is available at the COVID-19 Testing and Assessment Centre, open seven days a week, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
COVID-19 has surged in major provinces in the last several weeks, and on Monday, the Canada-U.S. border closure was extended another month.
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Comments (14)
Up 15 Down 10
YukonMax on Oct 22, 2020 at 8:05 am
I am spending time (weeks) in the Kluane region. You Whitehorse people should have a real time camera on the Alaska Highway. BOTH WAYS. Traffic is non stop 24/7. The borders aren't closed at all. Wide open I might say. Again, far from the eyes (Whitehorse ). We are asked to hunker down so the Americans can have free unmonitored passage.
Up 12 Down 11
Share the info on Oct 22, 2020 at 5:35 am
A couple of days ago Inuvik had reported a case of Covid19 with a local who had just driven up from Alberta. If Brennie knows his route and itinerary through the Yukon he should share that info. If he doesn't he should learn of it and then share with the public.
Yes folks it can be that close.
Up 19 Down 11
Terry Fleming on Oct 21, 2020 at 6:12 pm
They should shut everything down, no work, no groceries, no booze, no weed, no nothing but sitting in your house with a tube running from your behind up to your mouth and watching CBC news.
Up 28 Down 15
Juniper Jackson on Oct 21, 2020 at 3:58 pm
People have a right to be very, very afraid. The government of Canada and the Yukon have spent a lot of money making sure that they are.
I heard silly Silver on the radio today injecting a some flu fear.. our yearly flu season is now a 'avoid an epidemic'? Say what? We deal with this every year, and nothing is different this year. There is NO covid, (or SARS, or H1N1..both corona virus's) why is Silver pushing a flu fear now? Get your flu shot, because that's what most of us do every year. You hear Hanleys voice? You hear Silvers voice? Turn off the news.
Up 27 Down 17
Patti Eyre on Oct 21, 2020 at 12:10 pm
And what of all the visitors from outside flying up on Airs North and Air Canada on their god given right to hunt big game in exchange for big bucks to the outfitters? I picked up my mother as she came in from Vancouver and there were scores of hunters, wearing their camo and vests and waiting for their locked up luggage, no tests, no way of proving their not sick, no requirement to do so either. And all through Vancouver, our double bubble, and my mom, sitting with folks from all over, thank goodness she didn’t get sick but how many people from outside are coming here? Truly.
Up 19 Down 33
Nathan Living on Oct 20, 2020 at 12:46 pm
I pulled all my money out of RRSP's and the market because of Dr. Hanley and JT,
The fear mongering is driving us into a major economic depression.
Up 31 Down 7
Crunch on Oct 20, 2020 at 8:42 am
Many people who live in Yukon have aging parents outside who are not in the best of health. When your thinking, think about that too.
Up 39 Down 10
Al on Oct 20, 2020 at 7:36 am
It would be great to live in a bubble - protected from the evils of the world. We don't. We would be unable to survive the rigours that it would impose upon us. Lack of essential necessities (no not toilet paper) such as medical needs, food, etc.
There are going to be times when folks will need/have to leave - medical procedures and specialists appointments, family support for others, loved ones in distress, and so on. We have the necessary safe guards here when returning. To say we must shut our border down is irresponsible to those folks who need to go beyond our borders.
We can not and should not live in fear of the maybe. Take the necessary precautions when out and about. You will be fine. Your risk is lower than trying to cross 2nd Avenue. Don't do yourself more harm by encasing yourself in a glass dome. Living in fear is worse than the fear itself.
Up 30 Down 27
Salt on Oct 19, 2020 at 11:12 pm
Again, the virus will NOT EVER be eliminated by lock-downs, masks or other measures. Those measures haven’t even proven themselves that effective in flattening the curve worldwide.
Up 30 Down 10
NickyB on Oct 19, 2020 at 7:08 pm
The Star won't publicize the fact that 99.15% of those tested in the Yukon tested negative. That would reassure Yukoners, but the govt prefers fearmongering .
Yukon COVID-19 test results updated: October 19, 2020 – 14:20
Total people tested 3,751
Confirmed cases 17
Recovered cases 15
Negative results 3,719
Pending results 15
Up 20 Down 9
Gary on Oct 19, 2020 at 6:23 pm
Is Dr.Hanley sure this time or is this another false/ positive?
Up 19 Down 9
Gary on Oct 19, 2020 at 6:22 pm
Is this for sure? Or is this yet another false positive!
Up 46 Down 38
Judy McMurphy on Oct 19, 2020 at 4:19 pm
And so it begins. The new Covid 19 cases are Whitehorse's version of the second wave. However, if people continue to travel outside the Yukon to other parts of Canada and then return to Whitehorse, what can you expect? It is also well documented by science and medical sources that people placed under long periods of stress and uncertainty will start experiencing major psychological symptoms. I am feeling that staying at home 24 hours a day is not healthy either and then I have been experiencing people who don't seem to realize that the Covid 19 is still a very real threat even in Whitehorse and go about their merry way, not using masks or social distancing because it doesn't apply to them apparently.
I am sending this e mail because frankly I am becoming quite concerned about the number of Covid 19 cases appearing in Whitehorse and wondering other then stopping people from travelling outside the Yukon, are the resources and safety measures being applied now are still appropriate and should be perhaps upgraded substantially to prevent further Covid 19 cases from entering the Yukon? Thank you.
Up 73 Down 22
KC on Oct 19, 2020 at 3:37 pm
I mean it would be ideal if people just didn't travel outside of the Yukon unless they have to (which may well have been the case here) so we can maintain a sense of normalcy in our lives within the territory. Imported cases are really our only vulnerability. It is nice that we can do a lot of things normally while we see other provinces returning to lock down. Travel threatens that. Think about it.