Chief public health officer Kami Kandola is warning Northerners to not to expect an immediate end to current restrictions on business, gatherings and travel now that all five cases of Covid-19 reported in the territory are being reported as having recovered from the deadly virus.
On Monday, the GNWT announced all five patients in the territory with cases of Covid-19 overcame the virus. One was in Inuvik, three in Yellowknife and one in Fort Resolution.
This makes the NWT the first province or territory in Canada to announce a total recovery of patients infected with the virus.
In a teleconference with reporters on Wednesday, Kandola said while the recovery of those with the virus is "undoubtedly good news," the territory's health leaders have to be careful not to lessen health and safety protocols too early.
"We know that there are second and perhaps even third waves expected in Canada before we get a vaccine," she said. "We know from history that those additional waves are often more deadly and widespread than the first."
Although the NWT have seen some success, the pandemic remains a serious issue elsewhere in the country with 1,591 new cases reported nationwide April 21.
"We are far from through this," Kandola said. "The fact is that the biggest risk to our territory is the situation across Canada. Right now Canada's cases continue to grow each day in spite of testing rates far lower than our own.
"The only way for us to keep our territory in containment through possibly three waves across Canada is to be very careful in how we manage our response over this time."
Kandola said GNWT health authorities continue to watch infection rate statistics, regional outbreaks, transmission dynamics, growing worries about asymptomatic spread as well as evolving research.
"From that data we're looking at ways of loosening our restrictions only where it makes the most sense," she said. "We are formulating a plan, moving forward and all the information we have. I will be speaking in greater detail in the future."
Small community gatherings
Kandola was asked why some of the public gathering restrictions were in place - particularly those involving members or small communities wanting to get together.
She said that because of the nature of the virus and its ability to spread before symptoms are fully found, there is a need to be vigilant and keep in place restrictions.
One in four cases of Covid-19 cases being spread have involved asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic people - meaning that symptoms of the virus weren't seen in individuals until later.
"We know that with Covid-19, it's not the same as SARS," she said. "With SARS, typically, as people got sicker,. and they were able to spread the virus at a higher rate, and they were able to spread when they were symptomatic.
"But we're learning more about Covid-19 transmission dynamics (and) that people can spend as far as 48, hours before they have symptoms. The transmission of this virus is also higher in the first week, even if you have mild symptoms."
Kandola acknowledged that all communities have been tested and 1,600 cases to date have come back negative, with zero active cases. However, there is some likelihood of imported cases and there remains a need to "decrease travel risk."
"Because of this transmission dynamic, we really want to ramp up our community surveillance just to ensure that COVID-19 is not being quietly transmitted through mildly symptomatic cases," she said. "We don't believe that is the scenario but we need to make sure we ... tighten up our border security. And once we have these in place we can make a plan moving forward to begin lifting up our restrictions."
Travel imported cases remains the highest concern during the pandemic and because of that border restrictions and requirements to self-isolated in the four hubs - Hay River, Fort Smith, Yellowknife or Inuvik - will remain in place to the very end of the pandemic.
"The one restriction that will remain until we have a vaccine is travel related border restrictions, because at this point our single most threat for COVID is travel related importation, she said, noting the importance to having to protect small and vulnerable communities.
Gradual phased approach
Kandola was asked about when the GNWT would begin relaxing some of the restrictions and how that process might occur. She said a" gradual phased approach" would take place to relax public health measures once the curve is considered flattened and the pandemic under control.
She said she expects that to begin in four to six weeks, provided that there is no detection of community spreads or that there is "very tight control" over travel entries and self-isolation compliance.
"Phase one is a relaxation of non-essential businesses that can physically distance and there will be measures around infection control and (personal protective equipment)," she said. "When you're looking at specifically indoor gatherings, that actually would be the last restriction to be lifted."