COVID-19 pandemic in Yukon

COVID-19 pandemic in Yukon
COVID-19 pandemic in Yukon
Disease	COVID-19
Virus strain	SARS-CoV-2
First outbreak	Wuhan, Hubei, China
Index case	Whitehorse
Arrival date	March 22, 2020; (4 years, 2 months and 3 weeks)
Date	October 24, 2022
Confirmed cases	4,946
Active cases	16
Hospitalized cases	0
Recovered	4,906
Deaths	32
Fatality rate	0.65%
Government website
	Yukon Government

The COVID-19 pandemic in Yukon is part of an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

On March 22, 2020, Premier Sandy Silver and the Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Hanley, announced that Yukon had its first cases of coronavirus, a couple who had attended a convention in the United States and then returned home to Whitehorse. They developed symptoms upon their return and immediately sought medical assistance. They have self-isolated and have meticulously followed all public health directions.^[1] During the pandemic, the territory opened its first public university in the north, Yukon University.^[2]

As of February 23, 2022, Yukon has reported 3,412 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 3,351 recoveries and twenty deaths.^{[citation needed]}

Timeline

On March 20, 2020, the government of Yukon advised to stop all non-essential travel.^[3] On March 22, after its first case, the government limited non-essential travel out of the territory or into remote communities to protect Yukon's most vulnerable citizens.^[4] On April 17, minister of community services John Streicker signed the Ministerial Order, which allowed enforcement officers to deny entry to non-essential travellers.^[5] All schools are currently closed.^[6]

On March 22, 2020, Premier Sandy Silver and the Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Hanley, announced that Yukon had its first cases of COVID-19 in Yukon, a couple who had attended a convention in the United States and then returned home to Whitehorse.^[1] On October 30, 2020, the territory reported its first COVID-19 death, who was a resident of Watson Lake.^[7]

The first vaccine, of the Moderna type, was administered on January 4, 2021.^[8]

The 2021 Yukon general election was held on April 12 amid the pandemic.^{[citation needed]}

An ongoing outbreak is happening in the territory since November 2021. Proof of vaccination requirement to enter certain buildings became effective on November 13, 2021.^[9]