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Government of Nunavut confirms Covid case at Mary River mine

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photo courtesy Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. Baffinland Iron Mines Corp announced Nov. 8 it finished off it shipping season as planned by Oct. 17, sending 5.1 million tonnes to market. It rreceived federal approval for its production increase of ore to 6 Mt/a (megatonnes per annum) from 4.2 Mt/a Sept. 30.

Nunavut, which had gone several months without a single case of Covid-19, now has a third confirmed case of the virus within its borders as a mine worker at Baffinland's Mary River site has definitively tested positive.

However, the infected person will officially count as a case in the individual's home jurisdiction because the exposure to the virus did not occur in Nunavut, according to the Department of Health.

“The individual is currently in isolation and has not developed symptoms,” said Dr. Michael Patterson, Nunavut’s chief public health officer, who added that there is no evidence of transmission at Mary River Mine at this time.

The mine is located 176 km southwest of Pond Inlet.

“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. “As always, we ask Nunavummiut to please remain vigilant in regular handwashing, maintaining physical distancing measures and staying home if you feel unwell.”

On Friday, two workers at TMAC's Hope Bay gold mine were confirmed as having contracted the coronavirus.