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Nunavut extends its public health emergency for 2 more weeks

The Nunavut government has extended its public health emergency for another two weeks into the start of October.

COVID-19 emergency measure will be in place until Oct. 1, says government

Nunavut's Health Minister George Hickes says the territory's COVID-19 emergency measure will be in place until Oct. 1. (Beth Brown/CBC)

The Nunavut government has extended its public health emergency for another two weeks into the start of October.

The COVID-19 emergency measure will be in place until Oct. 1, stated Nunavut's Health Minister George Hickes in a government news release sent Thursday, when the last order was set to expire. All existing measures under the order remain in effect, it says.

The order allows the government to make restrictions to keep COVID-19 out of the territory, or from spreading should it surface.

Nunavut has not had any confirmed cases of the illness, and is the only remaining jurisdiction in Canada to have zero cases of COVID-19 during the pandemic, which swept through Canada in March.

As of Monday, the government's latest numbers, 2,593 people have been tested for the illness, and 413 people are currently waiting for their results.

The news release reminded Nunavummiut to physically distance, wash their hands frequently and stay home if they're unwell.

Anyone who believes they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should self-isolate immediately. People can call the government's hotline at 1-888-975-8601 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., or notify their local health centre.