NT Government: Presumptive Positive Case of COVID-19 at Diamond Mine

Case being further investigated and validated

YELLOWKNIFE 30 July 2020 – Testing upon entry resulted in a presumptive positive case for an Alberta resident working at Diavik Diamond Mine.

The individual is currently self-isolating in a designated isolation area onsite and is doing well with no symptoms.

No further details will be provided to protect privacy.

Medical staff at the mine is working closely with public health officials to validate the test at Alberta Provincial Laboratory. Contacts at the mine site have been isolated in designated isolation areas.

No additional contacts are expected in the Northwest Territories – though the case investigation continues.

Contacts were minimized due to heightened precautions taken on charter flights to NWT mines – including direct charter flights from Edmonton to the mine site and mandatory mask use on airplanes and shuttle buses.

The individual had also spent minimal time on the work site at the time of receiving a result.

As this case continues to be validated, statistics on our website will not include this presumptive case at this time.

False Claims

Some individuals on Facebook claimed this morning that there were three cases of COVID-19 in hospital in Yellowknife.

This is false.

We would like to remind residents that spreading unconfirmed rumours serves only to spread anxiety and misinformation – and are dangerous to our collective wellbeing.

The public are reminded that the GNWT will always announce new cases as soon as possible after the circumstances of cases are determined, and patient notification is complete.

The Government of the Northwest Territories posts case and test updates daily on our website.

NT5