COVID-19 case confirmed at Nunavut mine, one resident a contact

POND INLET, Nunavut – A worker at a Nunavut mine has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Department of Heath says the worker, who lives outside the territory, tested negative before boarding a charter plane to Baffinland’s Mary River mine last Thursday.

It says the worker developed symptoms on Monday and tested positive.

All workers who had contact with the positive case are in isolation and there are no plan to evacuate the site.

One Nunavut resident has also been identified as a direct contact.

Nunavut has not had an active case of COVID-19 since June 21, and the mine has not had a case since May 29.

Nunavut workers have been returning to the mine, located outside of Pond Inlet, over the last two weeks after spending 16 months at home with pay.

Baffinland made vaccines mandatory for all its workers as of Aug. 1.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 11, 2021.