Long Lake #58 First Nation has declared a state of emergency as it faces a rapidly escalating COVID-19 outbreak.
By Friday, 22 people had tested positive in the community of 535, said Chief Judy Desmoulin, including one involving a COVID-19 variant of concern.
The First Nation borders Longlac on Highway 11, about 200 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.
Two members had been sent to the Geraldton District Hospital with serious symptoms, and another was on their way as of Friday afternoon, Desmoulin reported.
The First Nation had seen two previous outbreaks since the pandemic began, but she said the virus seemed to be hitting harder this time.
“There are many people who are not well,” she said.
The band council initiated a community-wide lockdown requiring all members to shelter in place on Thursday, also shuttering the community’s general store.
In the meantime, vaccinated workers with the First Nation will distribute food and other essential items to members.
However, Desmoulin said that was becoming a struggle as contact tracing put more of those employees into self-isolation, with several sent home Thursday and Friday.
“It’s practically affecting every home in the community,” she said. “It’s limiting our ability to service the community, so I’m reaching out for people to come in and help.”
She hoped declaring a state of emergency would activate special assistance from the federal and provincial governments to ensure the community has the support it needs.
The chief was also crossing her fingers that the experience would improve vaccine uptake in the First Nation, which had been below 50 per cent – something she attributed to rampant online misinformation.
“After this outbreak, I’m hoping people will really reconsider looking into the vaccine – and lots of people have stepped up now and said, ‘when’s the next vaccine clinic,’” she said.
