The territory’s new rapid test machines have diagnosed on case of COVID-19 in Fort Smith.
In a public health advisory, officials say the individual recently returned from travel outside of the NWT and is isolating at home with one other person.
There is no additional exposure risk.
The ID Now machine detected the virus within 15 minutes, which was then confirmed by a second test at the Stanton hospital.
Public health officials are reminding residents to get tested at the first sign of symptoms.
“Transmission from a person with mild illness to another person can still occur, and may cause severe illness – especially if it’s someone already at high-risk,” reads the notice.
This is the NWT’s 24th confirmed case of COVID-19.
