Revised - The territory has witnessed its first COVID-19 case reported in a long-term care facility.

Last Sunday, a resident who transferred to Copper Ridge Place from the Whitehorse General Hospital tested positive for COVID-19, the Yukon government said Monday afternoon.

“The person is in isolation and is otherwise in good health,” the government said in a statement.

“Residents and staff in the same unit are being monitored and testing is being conducted as required.

“To date, all other tests have come back negative. Investigation into the infection and contact tracing are continuing.”

Tracy Anne McPhee, the minister of Health and Social Services, also commented on the situation.

“The staff at Copper Ridge Place responded appropriately to ensure the health and safety of other residents and staff was protected” she said.

“They are no strangers to communicable diseases in congregate living spaces and they were able to quickly put in place infection control measures.

“The unit is unfortunately not allowing visitors right now but otherwise activity at Copper Ridge Place carries on.”

The government did not specify if the case involves the highly contagious Delta variant.

“During the long months of this pandemic, we have been prepared for this and now we have experienced the first case of COVID-19 in a Yukon long-term care facility,” added Dr. Catherine Elliott, the acting chief medical officer of health.

“The early recognition and appropriate response have minimized risk of transmission in continuing care. I am confident that the measures in place will minimize risk in continuing care,” Elliott said.

Jason Bilsky, the CEO of the Yukon Hospital Corp., said the territory’s hospitals “continue to operate in a heightened risk environment, and COVID-19 is a threat our staff and physicians face every day.

“In the first year of the pandemic, we cared for fewer than 10 patients with COVID-19. Since June, we’ve cared for more than 60.

“The safety of our patients and our people remains our top priority, and we’ll continue to have strict safety measures in place – mandatory masking, hand hygiene, physical distancing, and screening for risk factors,” Bilsky added.

“Yukoners can be confident our hospitals continue to be safe places to seek care.”

The Yukon has four long-term care homes, with 220 residents.

Long-term care homes were the first to introduce health and safety protocols following the declaration of the pandemic in March 2020.

Vaccination rates among residents of long-term care homes is more than 95 per cent.

Also on Monday afternoon, Elliott reported five new cases of COVID-19 from noon last Friday to noon Monday. The number of active cases is currently at 21.

On Tuesday afternoon, Elliott issued a COVID-19 public exposure notice for the following locations:

• Bees Kneez Bakpakers Hostel, Whitehorse, Aug. 17-19; and

• Wanderer’s Inn Backpackers Hostel, Haines Junction, Aug. 21-27.

Anyone who was at either of these locations on the dates listed is asked to self-monitor for potential symptoms.

The total number of confirmed Yukon cases since March 22, 2020 is 689; with 631 cases since June 1, including out-of-territory residents diagnosed in the Yukon and probable cases.

Out-of-territory individuals who are diagnosed in the Yukon are counted in the active count but not in the Yukon total case count, as they are counted in their home jurisdiction.

Since March 22, 2020, 660 people have recovered. A total of eight Yukoners have died from COVID-19 since November 2020.

None of the people who have died in the Yukon were fully vaccinated.

Elliott’s office is monitoring daily activity.

As active cases and daily case counts have stabilized, information bulletins are now issued on Monday, Wednesday and Friday instead of daily. The number of cases will continue to be updated Monday through Friday online.

Anyone experiencing symptoms in Whitehorse should call the COVID-19 Testing and Assessment Centre at 393-3083 or book online to arrange for testing.

People in communities should contact their rural community health centre.

Testing turnaround times remain very quick, 24 hours in the previous week, and negative results can now be accessed online for faster access to results.

“The CMOH continues to stress the importance of getting both vaccines to complete the series,” the government said.

“Rural health centres and the mass clinic in Whitehorse are continuing to offer first and second doses of the Moderna vaccine.