Iqaluit’s COVID-19 outbreak declared over after 28 days with no new cases

IQALUIT, Nunavut — The Nunavut government says Iqaluit’s COVID-19 outbreak is officially over after nearly a month with no new cases.

It was 28 consecutive days Monday without cases, which meets the threshold for the outbreak to be declared over.

Iqaluit’s first case of the pandemic was reported on April 15 and swelled to 253 cases in the northern city of about 8,000 people. 

Chief public health officer Dr. Michael Patterson says many of Iqaluit’s restrictions have been lifted, but some — such as mandatory masks and gathering size limits — remain in place.

Patterson says restrictions will be eased further if Iqaluit’s situation stays the same for the next two weeks. 

There are no cases of COVID-19 in Nunavut, but testing and vaccinations continue across the territory.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2021.

The Canadian Press