Health and Social Services officials have also been in contact with other provinces and territories to ask for support.
As the COVID-19 case count continues to rise all over the territory, teams have been deployed for expanded testing in communities, but that may not be enough. Minister of Health and Services Tracy-Anne McPhee said at this morning’s COVID update, that Premier Sandy Silver has been in touch with Prime Mister Justin Trudeau to request help dealing with the current wave of infections. McPhee also said her officials at Health and Social Services have been in contact with other provinces and territories to ask for support. Help is needed for testing and contact tracing, and to provide social supports in communities. McPhee said that the wave is “testing the limit of our current health care systems.”
There are currently 130 active cases in the Yukon and more are expected by the end of the day.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley said that if it weren’t for vaccines, the number of active cases could be in the thousands.
Dr. Hanley says there are cases in Carmacks in Pelly Crossing and rapid response teams have been sent to the communities to help. He also says going forward community case counts will be posted on Yukon.ca twice a week.
He says the wave is being driven by the Gamma variant and is affecting primarily those unvaccinated. 12 percent of those infected have had their shots. They have all had mild illness except for one, who Dr. Hanley says has been hospitalized but is doing well.
Dr. Hanley is encouraging people to limit their gatherings to prevent spread.
“Yukoners, I’m asking you to stick to six for any social gatherings. We have seen spread of COVID in multiple social settings. In order to minimize the overall risk, allowing a maximum of six people for indoor and outdoor gatherings, will limit the number of contacts between people. Keeping your social contacts small will help limit the outbreak. Now, similar to social gatherings, organized gatherings increase the overall risk for spread and transmission between people. I know that many of you have events organized coming up, perhaps a ceremony, a wedding, a funeral, be aware that COVID is now almost everywhere, and I would like you to consider postponing any event that can be postponed, and if you can not postpone it, please scale it down,” said Hanley
He says if people follow the rules, case numbers could drop in a matter of weeks.
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