A group of tourists from Hong Kong to Yellowknife, who later tested positive for COVID-19, did not bring the virus into the city during their tour of the America, the Department of Health and Social Services has concluded.
The tourists must have picked up the virus after visiting Yellowknife, chief public health officer Kami Kandola stated in a news release Thursday.
The news release states that six tourists who visited Yellowknife from Hong Kong "with a stopover in Toronto along the way," had been in in the capital city from Feb. 19 to 23.
"They then returned to Toronto and left to tour Bolivia and Peru on February 26," the statement reads. "Two additional tourists joined the group in Toronto for this trip and did not travel to Yellowknife, which accounts for the error in the original reporting from Hong Kong cited by Cabin Radio."
Kandola says in the statement that the earliest onset of symptoms of the virus from anyone in the group was March 13.
"Others developed symptoms days later," she stated. "This puts two weeks between the group of six’s departure from Yellowknife and the onset of symptoms.
“We have also determined that there are no possible connections between either of the first two confirmed cases and these individuals. Given this information, we have determined these tourists did not contract COVID-19 in Hong Kong before coming to Canada, and that there is no risk they brought the virus to Yellowknife."
Kandola also stated that the individuals who contracted the virus "highly likely" got it when travelling through other locations with the virus after leaving Yellowknife.
“We appreciate that this was a long, stressful wait for residents who were itching for details," Kandola stated.
“However, it was important we had all the information at our disposal, and thoroughly investigated the incident before we reported back to residents."