2 more hospitalized in N.W.T. with COVID-19, 1 admitted to ICU

The N.W.T. government is reporting the first ICU admission in the territory due to COVID-19 since the Omicron variant became the dominant strain.

The latest numbers show that three people have been admitted to hospital since Monday, when five hospitalizations were reported.

The territory is now reporting 1,300 active cases, 48 more than it counted Tuesday, though those figures may not include people who test positive at home and don't report their test results. 

The rise in active cases comes even though the territory logged 90 recoveries from COVID-19. That means more people are still catching the illness than recovering from it. 

The vast majority of active cases, 707, are in Yellowknife, with 203 in the Tłı̨chǫ region, 134 in the Beaufort Delta and 73 in the Sahtu. There are also 70 cases in Hay River, 59 in Fort Smith and 54 in the Dehcho. 

On Tuesday, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola extended gathering restrictions to Jan. 30 saying she expected infections to peak in most of the territory by then. 

The exception, she said, were Fort Smith and Inuvik, where she noted significant increases in transmission and community spread. 

The territory's latest public exposure notices include a workplace outbreak at Inuvik's IDC Construction, noting there is little risk to the public. It also notes two exposure periods in Inuvik's Delta cabs on Jan. 14 and 15. 

A workplace outbreak has also been declared at Hay River's Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre, again noting that there is little risk to the public.