12 new COVID-19 cases confirmed in Yukon

Yukon's COVID-19 case count continues to grow quicker than it ever has, with 12 new cases announced on Tuesday. All the new cases involve the gamma or P.1 variant.

The territory now has 33 active cases.

In a news release on Monday, health officials say 10 of the 12 new cases are in Whitehorse, and two are in unnamed rural communities. All are linked to a Whitehorse contact, and involve people between the ages of 10 and 40.

One of thelatest cases involves someone who had been vaccinated, the news release says.

The current outbreak in Yukon involves students and adults. Officials say the spread has been traced to graduating high school students in Whitehorse and their contacts, two classes at Elijah Smith Elementary School in Whitehorse, and adults partying and going to bars.

Officials sayall student groups and parents, along with those people who are infected,have been contacted and given guidance for how to respond to the outbreak.

"We are seeing the effects of COVID-19 in a way we have not before seen in Yukon," said Dr. Catherine Elliott, Yukon's deputy chief medical officer, in a written statement.

"It is now more important than ever to get vaccinated."

Yukon has confirmed 36 cases of COVID-19 over the last 11 days, after months with just a trickle of newcases. Three of the most recent cases have recovered, officials say, andone person has died.

Two people diagnosed this month in Yukon had been fully vaccinated.

Yukon officials will hold a news conference on Wednesday morning about COVID-19 in the territory. It will be streamed live online at CBC North, and on CBC Yukon's Facebook page.