N.W.T. reports 1 new COVID-19 death, says Omicron peak may have passed in territory in mid-January

The N.W.T. is reporting another death due to COVID-19 Friday.

It's the 14th death in the territory due to the pandemic since it started.

The Office of the Chief Public Officer (OCPHO) said in a Friday night news release that its modelling suggests the peak of the Omicron wave "may have already passed mid-January in the NWT."

It said the modelling also suggests the territory will continue to see more than 100 new infections a day until mid-February.

The OCPHO said it will share the modelling predictions on the N.W.T. government's COVID-19 dashboard beginning Monday.

Also on Monday, the dashboard will begin showing the number of cases in N.W.T. communities three times a week compared to once a week, as it has been doing since last December. The number of cases per region will continue to be updated every weekday.

Except for Fort Smith and Inuvik, where officials say COVID-19 cases have not yet peaked, schools in the territory will be back to in-school learning on Monday.

The dashboard indicated on Friday there are 1,034 reported active cases in the N.W.T., a decrease of 331 since Thursday.

The OCPHO said that's because of the changes made to isolation requirements.

"The reporting criteria has been updated to reflect that those who test positive and are fully immunized are considered resolved seven (7) days after a positive test, [the] onset of symptoms or diagnosis," the release reads.

"They are considered resolved because their likelihood of spreading an infection is very small. These individuals are still required to wear a mask in all public spaces for an additional three (3) days but are no longer required to isolate."

The dashboard is showing there was no new hospitalization or ICU admission on Friday.