Nunavut confirms COVID-19 case at mine; says person exposed outside territory

IQALUIT, NUNAVUT -- Nunavut is reporting a positive COVID-19 case at an open pit iron mine in the Baffin Island area.

Baffinland Iron Mines said last week that there was a presumptive positive case at its Mary River Mine, about 176 kilometres southwest of Pond Inlet, Nunavut.

The territory has now confirmed the positive case, but notes that the person was not exposed to the virus in Nunavut and the case will count as a positive in the individual's home jurisdiction.

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Dr. Michael Patterson, the territory's chief public health officer, says there are no Nunavut residents currently working at the Mary River Mine, and the risk of COVID-19 spreading in the territory is low.

He says the infected person has not developed symptoms and is in isolation.

Also last week, the Nunavut government confirmed two cases of COVID-19 at the Hope Bay gold mine, about 125 kilometres southwest of Cambridge Bay.

Those miners were also asymptomatic and were exposed to COVID-19 in their home jurisdictions.