Dr. Brendan Hanley, Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH), has confirmed the first two cases of COVID-19 in the territory.
The two cases were confirmed Sunday morning.
The two Whitehorse residents are from the same household. They returned from the United States last week and went into self-isolation. When symptoms presented, they contacted Yukon Communicable Disease for testing. They have mild illness and are continuing to self-isolate at home.
Yukon’s CMOH said this does not change the level of risk to Yukoners and these first cases demonstrate that the systems that have been put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 work. The individuals closely followed the advice of the CMOH. The couple self-isolated, they contacted the appropriate health authorities for testing, have continued to self-isolate, and their test results were back within three days.
Cooperation with all public health measures is critical to the response to COVID-19. Limiting the spread of COVID-19 by closely observing all self-isolation orders is essential to keep this disease from spreading in our territory.
The most up-to-date information can be found at yukon.ca/covid-19.
The fact that we have confirmed these cases in Yukon shows our system to test for and detect cases is working. We have been working diligently within Yukon’s health care system to ensure we are ready to manage cases and to assist those who are self-isolating at home. Prompt case detection, isolation, and contact tracing in combination with the difficult societal measures that we are all facing, will mean that we can manage COVID-19 in a way that both protects the public and provides high quality care to those who are infected.
Patricia Living
Communications, Health and Social Services
867-667-3673
patricia.living@gov.yk.ca