Nunavut suspends travel bubble with N.W.T. as COVID-19 cases jump to 34

IQALUIT, Nunavut – Nunavut has closed its travel bubble with the Northwest Territories after an increase in cases of COVID-19 over the last few days.

That means unvaccinated travellers must isolate for 14 days in a Yellowknife isolation hotel before coming to Nunavut.

Travellers with a same-ticket layover, vaccinated people travelling with unvaccinated dependants 12 years old or younger, and critical workers are exempt from the isolation requirement.

After reporting no cases of COVID-19 since June, the N.W.T. identified new infections on the weekend that have spread to multiple communities.

There are 34 confirmed cases: 21 in Fort Good Hope, seven in Yellowknife, two in Colville Lake and one each in Inuvik, Norman Wells, Hay River and Deline.

Nunavut has issued potential COVID-19 exposure notices for a hand games tournament in Fort Good Hope, now considered a super-spreader event.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2021.