N.W.T. reports 53 new cases of COVID-19

The N.W.T.'s Office of the Chief Public Health Officer is reporting 53 new cases of COVID-19 across the territory since Friday.

There are now 246 reported cases in the Northwest Territories, a decrease of 11 since Friday.

Almost 70 per cent of the cases are in Yellowknife, Dettah and Ndil, where the OCPHO is reporting 166 cases.

Last Friday at midnight, a public health order for the area was extended for 10 days by Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola to help contain the current COVID-19 outbreak. The extension contains increased restrictions on gatherings, limiting indoor gatherings for all non-essential businesses and organizations to 10 people.

Earlier Monday, the territorial government said it was mandatingthat its employees who work with 'vulnerable' people be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1.

Also onMonday, the OCPHO reported three deaths in the territory over the weekend due to COVID-19.There are now five people who have died from the diseasein N.W.T. since the start of the pandemic.

Numbers down dramatically in What

What experienced a dramatic decrease in the number of cases over the weekend, going from 18 on Friday to four on Monday.

There are 57 cases reported in Behchok, a decrease of two since Friday.

Other communities that have cases are Hay River and K'atl'odeeche First Nation with 10, Dline with three, and one each for Fort Simpson, Fort Good Hope and Norman Wells.

There are no longer any cases in utsel Ke where it was reported there was one case on Friday.

There are also two cases at the Diavik Diamond Mine, and one new case at the Ekati diamond mine. The NWT Power Corporation's Snare Hydro System worksite no longer has any active cases after reporting one on Friday.

The OCPHO also said 32 people havebeen hospitalized since the start of the pandemic, anincrease of two since Friday. Of those, 28 are associated with the current Delta variant outbreak in the territory.