November 26 COVID-19 Update – New cases confirmed

Source: Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Government of Yukon

Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley has issued the following updates for the Yukon public on measures being taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley confirmed three new cases of COVID-19, bringing the territory’s total to 42 cases. There are 6 new recoveries and 12 active cases in Yukon.

Two cases are in Whitehorse and the third is in a rural community: 

  • Case 40 is linked to a known case in Whitehorse.
  • Case 41 is linked to the Diwali festival in Whitehorse.
  • Case 42 is the rural case that is still under investigation but likely linked to exposure to one of the other known outbreaks in Whitehorse.

If you were at the Diwali festival on Saturday, November 14 and are experiencing any symptoms we recommend that you get tested immediately.

An additional public exposure notice is being issued for:

  • Save-On-Foods
    • Wednesday, November 18 between 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m.

If you were in contact with anyone who was at one of the locations listed in the public exposure notices, you are a secondary contact and you do not need to self-isolate. Visit Yukon.ca for more information on self-isolation.

If you are not notified and do not have symptoms, you may continue with your usual daily activities. Remember to always follow the Safe 6 and we encourage you to wear a mask when required.

Anyone who is experiencing any of the following symptoms is asked to self-isolate and arrange for testing immediately: 

  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Cough
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Runny nose
  • Sore throat
  • Loss of sense of taste or smell
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Muscle aches

If you are experiencing any symptoms and have been at these locations please call the COVID-19 Testing and Assessment Centre at 867-393-3083 to arrange for testing. Or drop in at the drive-thru testing centre located at Centennial Motors on the Alaska Highway across from the airport. You can also contact your rural community health centre. Due to a high volume of calls, you may be required to leave a number where you can be contacted. The COVID-19 Testing and Assessment Centre staff will return your calls. If you do not receive a call within 24 hours please call back.

The Government of Yukon encourages Yukoners to remain calm and continue to follow the Safe 6 and wear a mask when required. Please be patient and kind to one another.

November 26 – 17:45 – Whitehorse COVID-19 screening drive-thru extended

Drive-thru testing will be extended for two weeks at the Centennial Motors wash bay location with further extension at a possible new location into 2021. Testing and contract tracing remain a critical part of the Government of Yukon’s management of COVD-19 in the territory. With a growing demand for testing, the Government of Yukon responded quickly to launch the new testing centre to increase testing capacity.

The first choice for a temporary drive-thru testing centre was a car wash facility. Centennial Motors first responded to the inquiry Friday, November 20, meeting the appropriate needs for testing. Allowing screening to begin the afternoon of Sunday, November 22.

As of Thursday morning, an average of 90 people per day have been tested. To meet the demand for testing, the drive-thru testing centre will be extended for an additional two weeks starting Sunday, November 29.

People who cannot access the drive-thru or want an in-clinic appointment can call the COVID-19 Testing Assessment Centre at 867-393-3083 in Whitehorse.