COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus)

*PUI (Persons Under Investigation) includes all individuals that meet the national PUI definition as well as some others self-monitoring or self-isolating.

*Please note: Every effort is made to keep this list up-to-date and complete but it may not reflect all individuals tested. Please keep that in mind when reviewing this information.

 

The Government of Nunavut is actively monitoring the COVID-19 situation nationally and globally.

 

Travel Ban

Starting Tuesday, March 24 at 11:59 p.m.: Only Nunavut residents and critical workers will be allowed into the territory. Residents will have to provide proof of residency to be allowed to fly into Nunavut.

Prior to boarding a plane into the territory, residents will undergo a mandatory 14-day isolation period in either Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton or Yellowknife. At the end of the 14 days, asymptomatic residents will be cleared and provided a letter signed by the Chief Public Health Officer allowing them to return to their home community.

This also includes medical travel patients. Critical employees will have to provide written permission from the Nunavut CPHO to be allowed to fly into the territory. Contact CPHOTravelRequests@gov.nu.ca.  Critical employees and Isolation Protocol.

Download Travel Request Form (Form must be downloaded before filling it in)

Download Critical Employee Travel Request Form (Form must be downloaded before filling it in)

NOTE: Requests for critical travel submitted less than 48 hours before the scheduled flight may not be approved before time of travel.

 

COVID Hotline

Need to talk to someone if you have COVID-19 symptoms, or have recently travelled to or from an affected area? Do you have questions about travel to Nunavut or the isolation sites? Please call 975-8601 or 1-888-975-8601 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to speak with someone. For travel related inquiries please call between 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Please remember this line is for those who need it – and should not be used for general inquiries.

If you have questions or need help in an emergency, call your local health centre.

 

Face covering requirements for air travellers

The Government of Canada is directing that all travellers (with limited exceptions) must have a removable non-medical mask or face covering large enough to cover their mouth and nose during their travel through Canadian airports and in-flight.  This directive will take effect on Monday, April 20, 2020 at 12:00 pm ET.

Customers who do not have mandatory face covering will not be allowed to travel. Please note that these coverings do not need to be medical masks. Any face covering including a scarf or similar item is acceptable.

At a minimum, travellers will be asked to wear the non-medical mask or face covering:

• at airport screening checkpoints;
• during the flight when they cannot physically distance from others, including at all times when they are 2 metres or less from another person, except another occupant of the person’s private home; or
• as directed by an official of the air operator, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, a Canada Border Services Agency officer, or a Canadian public health official.

For full details, including the limited exceptions to this mandatory requirement, please click here.

 

What are the risks of getting COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a serious health threat, and the situation is evolving daily. The risk will vary between and within communities, but given the increasing number of cases in Canada, the risk to Canadians is considered high.

This does not mean that all Canadians will get the disease. It means that there is already a significant impact on our health care system. If we do not flatten the epidemic curve now, the increase of COVID-19 cases could impact health care resources available to Canadians.

The risk for COVID-19 may be increased for certain settings such as:

• cruise ships
• crowded areas (such as public transit and shopping centres)
• gatherings (spiritual and cultural settings, theatres, sports arenas, festivals and conferences)

There is an increased risk of more severe outcomes for Canadians:

• aged 65 and over
• with compromised immune systems
• with underlying medical conditions

People that fall into these categories should reconsider attending gatherings. This includes large gatherings and even smaller events in crowded or enclosed settings.

If you have symptoms (cough, fever or difficulty breathing), do not attend a mass gathering, event or places where people gather. You could put someone whose health is vulnerable at risk.

 

COVID-19 Facts

Symptoms 

Those who are infected with COVID-19 may have little to no symptoms. You may not know you have symptoms of COVID-19 because they are similar to a cold or flu. Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to COVID-19. This is the longest known infectious period for this disease.

Symptoms include:

• fever
• cough
• difficulty breathing
• pneumonia in both lungs requiring support for breathing.

 

If you become ill

If you develop symptoms and have travelled to a region with known cases of COVID-19 occurring in the community or have been in contact with someone who has:

• stay at home and avoid contact with others
• follow up with your health care professional

If you develop fever, cough or difficulty breathing in the next 14 days, call your health care provider or local public health authority and advise them of possible contact with COVID-19.

If you are ill and must visit a health care professional, call ahead or tell them when you arrive that you have a respiratory illness and if you have travelled.

 

Resources:

About Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Social Distancing

Hand Washing

Isolation and Return to Nunavut Protocol

Vulnerable Populations

Managing Anxiety and Stress During COVID-19

Cleaning to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19

Face Covering Requirements for Air Travellers

COVID-19 Isolation

Masks are not Enough

Instructions for Making a Mask

How to Use a Mask