Yukon reports one more COVID-19 death

Another Yukoner has died from COVID-19, according to the acting chief medical officer.

It's the 23rd death in the territory since the start of the pandemic.

In a news release Thursday, Dr. Catherine Elliott gave no details about the person who died.

"Each person who has died from this pandemic is a tragic loss for the Yukon. My deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of this individual," she said in the statement.

Yukon health officials attribute a death to COVID-19 when it is either the cause of death or a contributing factor.

The announcement came as the Yukon continues to lift public health restrictions in light of decreasing COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

On March 2, Elliott said the territory had gone past the peak of the Omicron wave and case numbers had stabilized.

The territorial government announced on that day that beginning March 18, masks would no longer be mandatory in indoor public spaces and proof of vaccination would no longer be required to access designated spaces. It also said government employees would no longer have to be vaccinated as of April 4.

According to the government's COVID-19 dashboard, there are 66 active COVID-19 cases as of March 10. The government's official count does not include all positive cases, as Yukoners who test at home are not all required to report their results.

The dashboard also indicates a test positivity rate of 43.6 per cent, compared to 23 per cent last week.

It also indicates there hasn't been a new COVID-19 hospitalization in the territory since Feb. 25 when there were two.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 128 hospitalizations in the Yukon due to COVID-19.