Minister of Health and Social Services, Julie Green has extended the territory-wide Public Health Emergency under the Northwest Territories’ Public Health Act on the advice of Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) Dr. Kami Kandola.

The latest extension continues through September 29, 2020. 

With record levels of COVID-19 transmission being reported in neighbouring jurisdictions, the risk to the Northwest Territories is increased. The extension of the Public Health Emergency is necessary in order to respond decisively to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

YELLOWKNIFE (September 10, 2020) – Regular surveillance to identify the presence or absence of COVID-19 will soon be possible because of a wastewater testing program initiated by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT).

This program will collect regular samples of wastewater (sewage) from Hay River, Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Inuvik, and Fort Simpson, which will be tested for COVID-19. 

Today, Caroline Cochrane, Premier of the Northwest Territories, formally announced the creation of the COVID-19 Coordinating Secretariat. The Secretariat will be responsible for managing the Government of the Northwest Territories’ (GNWT) response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The GNWT’s COVID-19 response to date has been multifaceted and has involved many government departments, non-government agencies and organizations from across the territory.

Minister of Health and Social Services Diane Thom has extended the territory-wide Public Health Emergency under the Northwest Territories’ Public Health Act on the advice of Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) Dr. Kami Kandola. 

The latest extension continues through September 15, 2020. 

The Public Health Emergency remains necessary in order to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government of the Northwest Territories is working with the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut to amend the Nursing Profession Act to improve how nurses are regulated in the NWT to further professionalize nursing in the territory.

Diane Thom, Minister of Health and Social Services, announced the 16 schools chosen to receive awards as part of the 2019-20 Drop the Pop campaign.

Forty-five NWT schools participated in the 2019-20 Drop the Pop challenge using funding to promote healthy foods and beverages. The winning schools will be awarded prizes ranging from $500 – $1,800 in recognition of their activities and creative efforts for the annual awareness campaign.

Some of the highlights from this year’s winners are:

Youth between the ages of 13-18 years old are invited to participate in a free workshop for The Dope Experience Project. The workshops are being hosted by the Department of Health and Social Services in collaboration with the Northwest Territories (NWT) Association of Communities and Western Arctic Moving Pictures (WAMP).

Minister of Health and Social Services Diane Thom has extended the territory-wide Public Health Emergency under the Northwest Territories’ Public Health Act on the advice of Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) Dr. Kami Kandola.

The latest extension runs through September 1, 2020. 

The Public Health Emergency remains necessary in order to respond decisively to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. .

Reintroduction is most likely to occur as a result of travel from locales with community transmission.

The attached is being released on behalf of Government of the Northwest Territories and the Mental Health Commission of Canada

Minister of Health and Social Services Diane Thom has extended the territory-wide Public Health Emergency under the Northwest Territories’ Public Health Act on the advice of Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) Dr. Kami Kandola.

The latest extension runs through August 18, 2020. 

The Public Health Emergency remains necessary in order to respond decisively to needs for personal protective equipment, isolation space, enforcement, and travel checkpoints which essential to the territory’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.