COVID-19 detected in Yellowknife wastewater, some people asked to get tested

The government of the Northwest Territories says it has found COVID-19 in wastewater in Yellowknife.

The N.W.T.’s chief public health officer, Dr. Kami Kandola, says this means there is likely an undetected case of COVID-19 in the capital.

The virus was detected through a wastewater monitoring program, which analyzed samples taken between Nov. 30 and Dec. 2.

As a result, the government is asking anyone self-isolating in Yellowknife since Nov. 30 to get a COVID-19 test, even if they don’t have symptoms.

Essential workers who have been in Yellowknife since Nov. 30 should also get a test.

The N.W.T. currently requires anyone travelling to the territory to self-isolate for 14 days.

Kandola says it’s too early to assess risk to the public, as the case could be someone who is already self-isolating.

There are currently no recorded active cases of COVID-19 in Yellowknife; 15 people who were previously infected have recovered.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2020

Note to readers: This is a corrected story; a previous version misspelled Kandola.