Good afternoon. Late last night our public health officials confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the Northwest Territories.

 

This is hard news to share and I want to express my concern and sympathy for the people affected by this and let them know that the Government of the Northwest Territories is going to do everything we can to support them in this difficult time.

 

To the people of the Northwest Territories, I want to say that we knew this day would come and the GNWT has been working hard so that we would be prepared when it did.

 

NWT Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola is preparing to make an order effective March 21, 2020 prohibiting all travel (by air, land, and port) into the Northwest Territories, with limited exceptions, to combat COVID-19 in the territory.

 

Furthermore, Dr. Kandola will also order those returning to the territory, to self-isolate in Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Hay River, or Inuvik.     

 

This measure will be required to ensure protection of residents of our smallest communities as people return north.

 

As of 12:00pm today, the Minister of Health and Social Services, Diane Thom, has declared a territory-wide Public Health Emergency under the Northwest Territories Public Health Act in response to  the COVID-19 global pandemic to protect public health in the Northwest Territories.

The Public Health Emergency was declared upon the recommendation of Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Kami Kandola, and is in effect from March 18 through April 1.

Media are invited to a media briefing on Covid-19 in the Northwest Territories.

Dr. Kami Kandola, Chief Public Health Officer will provide a statement and be available for questions. Also available for questions will include:

Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide Members and the public with an update on NWT efforts in containing the spread of COVID-19 and assure everyone that their health and safety is the number one priority of our government.

Currently, we have zero confirmed cases in the Northwest Territories. Our Chief Public Health Officer remains confident our residents are currently at a low risk of infection.  We also know that world-wide, roughly 80 percent of people infected get only mild symptoms.

Today, Premier Caroline Cochrane and Minister of Health and Social Services, Diane Thom, made statements in the Legislative Assembly outlining the status and proactive approach the Government of the Northwest Territories is taking to protect all residents of the NWT. Both statements can be read online at: ·        Premier Caroline Cochrane, COVID-10 Preparedness: https://www.gov.nt.ca/en/newsroom/caroline-cochrane-covid-19-preparedness

The top priority for the Government of the Northwest Territories  (GNWT) is the health and safety of Northwest Territories (NWT) residents, and we are taking proactive measure to be prepared to respond to COVID-19 as the situation evolves.

There are currently no cases of COVID-19 in the NWT, and the risk of acquiring the virus in the NWT and Canada remains low at this time.

Check against delivery 

Good afternoon. We all know in the coming weeks that there will be new challenges presented here in the Northwest Territories, both for our residents and for the health care system. I want to assure you that we are prepared, and are continuing to prepare.

Check against delivery 

Good afternoon, I’m here to talk to the residents of the Northwest Territories about COVID-19.

Earlier today I was absent in the house, and session, to participate on a call from 11 o’clock to 1 o’clock with the Prime Minister and all Premiers across Canada. All Premiers are concerned about COVID-19, and we are all taking precautionary measures to limit the spread and associated impacts throughout Canada.

Check Against Delivery

Mr. Speaker, good oral health is important to our overall health and quality of life.  Healthy mouths and teeth in children promote healthy growth, nutrition, speech development, good school performance and social well-being.

Cavities, however, are the most common chronic infectious childhood disease, and they place a substantial burden on our population.  Poor oral health contributes to a child’s inability to eat, speak, sleep and learn.  In adults, oral disease has been linked to diabetes, heart disease, pneumonia and Alzheimer’s.