The hamlet of Arviat houses less than 3,000 people, and on Monday, it reported 12 new cases of COVID-19. The Nunavut government has released a statement saying that the territory now has 33 active cases and all of them are reported in Arviat. For the last 10 days in a row, Arviat has been reporting new cases as all of them continue to be linked to the household transmission.
Dr. Michael Patterson, Nunavut’s chief public health officer, said:
“More than 100 days after the first COVID-19 case in Arviat, [fatigue] and boredom are becoming real factors in our ability to limit the spread of the virus. It’s vital that anyone in isolation stay home until they have been cleared by the public health team. There cannot be exceptions. It’s up to each of us to keep one another healthy and safe.”
The people living in the hamlet are frustrated with the lockdown. Monday was Arviat’s 102nd day in lockdown as travel in and out of the community remains restricted, unless in the case of an emergency.
MLA for Arviat North-Whale Cove, John Main stated:
“On behalf of Arviat residents sitting in lockdown today I am telling the public that the people are frustrated and fatigued, but we are still fighting.”
The government has been sending vaccines in the region, hoping to stem the rising tide of the infected.
