Nunavut confirms case of COVID-19 at Mary River Mine

A presumptive case of COVID-19at the Mary River Mine was confirmed on Monday morning.

Last Thursday, Baffinland Iron Minessaid in a news release that there wasa presumptive positive case of COVID-19 at its Mary River Mine, about 176 kilometres southwest of Pond Inlet, Nunavut.

The person who produced the presumptive positive result has not developed symptoms and is in isolation, said Nunavut's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Michael Patterson in a news release Monday.

The Nunavut government says there is no evidence of transmission at the mine at this time andits public health team is ready to respond with support if necessary.

The person was not exposed to the virus in Nunavut, so the case will count toward that person's home jurisdiction, says the government.

"There are no Nunavut residents currently working at the Mary River Mine, and the risk of COVID-19 spreading in our communities due to this positive case is very low," said Health Minister George Hickes inMonday's press release.

"As always, we ask Nunavummiut to please remain vigilant in regular hand-washing, maintaining physical distancing measures and staying home if you feel unwell."

Contact tracing had begun on Thursday and people who came in close contact with the employee are in isolation.

This is the fourth time the company has reported a presumptive positive at the Mary River project.The previous three cases turned out to be negative.

3rd case at a Nunavut mine in 3days

This is the third positive COVID-19 case at a Nunavut mine in just as many days. On Saturday, Nunavut confirmed two poisitive cases atHope Bay mine, which is 125 kilometres southwest of Cambridge Bay.

Baffinland says it tests all employees upon arrival at the mine using an on-site, portable COVID-19 testing lab. All employees are tested again five days after their arrival.

It said on Thursday that its COVID-19 lab had performed more than 9,250 tests on employees and contractors who work at the Mary River Mine.

Baffinland says it's working closely with Nunavut Public Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada, as well as provincial and territorial governments "to determine the next course of action."

It says there is a "strict no-contact policy" with its Nunavummiut partners and local communities.