Arctic sports athlete Leon Gruben-Mangelana is representing Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, at the 2026 Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse this week. The games are taking place while health officials monitor a whooping cough outbreak in the host city.
Gruben-Mangelana is part of a 356-member Team NT group representing 19 different communities. The event runs from March 8 to March 15, 2026, and brings together athletes and cultural performers from across the North.
The Northwest Territories Office of the Chief Public Health Officer has issued a travel advisory for anyone heading to the Yukon for the competition. This warning follows an increase in cases of pertussis, which is commonly called whooping cough, in the Whitehorse area.
Health officials are asking families and participants to check if their vaccinations are up to date and are offering booster shots at local health centres. Travelers are also being encouraged to wear medical masks to help prevent the spread of the illness during the high-contact sports event.
The Arctic Winter Games were originally meant to take place in Whitehorse in 2020 but were cancelled because of the pandemic. This year’s event marks the first time the games have returned to the city since that cancellation.
