Little Grand Rapids COVID-19 cases self-isolating in Winnipeg, response team says

The majority of the 19 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Little Grand Rapids are self-isolating in Winnipeg hotel rooms, according to a memberof the Manitoba First Nation COVID-19 Response Team.

It'san effort to prevent the virus from spreading tofamily members living in close quarters on the remote northern Manitoba First Nation.

"We do have some concerns of overcrowding," said Melanie MacKinnon, executive director of OngomiizwinIndigenous Institute of Health and Healing.

An outbreak was declared in Little Grand Rapids Oct. 4. Thecommunity, with a population of 800,was upgraded to red or critical.Ithas the highest case count so far of any First Nation in the province.

"It's alarming," MacKinnonsaid, adding the response team was there when the first case was discovered, continue to test for other casesand are bringing in additional help.

Today, the Southeast Resource Development Council is bringing inseven more people to help,including an environmental health officer, twomental health advisors,three additional nursesand a program manager, she said.

Self-isolation a challenge

MacKinnon said they have planned for a potential outbreak on a remote community for months, but it's been a challenge to help people who have tested positive find a place to self-isolate.

Little Grand Rapidsis about 270 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg and is only accessible by plane.

Part of the planning included having air ambulances and charter planes ready in case someone neededto go to Winnipeg.

There arealso daily checks on people who have tested positive, and some people have been moved closer to Winnipeg so they're closer to a hospital if they need one in the coming days, she said.

Under the heightened restrictions, onlyessential workers are allowed to go to work. No public gatherings are allowed and only one person in a household can leave to get necessities.

Grocery concerns

That's raising concerns aroundfood security, and about how people willbe able to go out to getgroceries during the lockdown, she said.

Resident Glenn Keeper has stockpiled food, which he hopes he has enough of, and plans to stay home with family.

"It's kind of scary," Keeper said.

"You don't know who you're going to run into and you don't know if they have it or not, because it's hard to tell right now," he said.

He said community members have been working hard to keep their distance and wear masks, but some are taking it more seriously than others.

Travel to urban areas

The majority ofcases that have occurred on reserve stem from community members heading into an urban area like Winnipeg to visit family, and then returning to their home community, she said. It's a reminder for all First Nations community members to stay home ifthey aren't well when they return home, MacKinnonsaid.

If anyone needs to be hospitalized and needs a ventilator, they will also haveto come to Winnipeg, said Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas.

"There is no resourcing in the north to accommodate that type of care," Dumas said."I think that's something we need to look at in the future."

Little Grand Rapids is now the sixthFirst Nation in Manitoba to have cases of COVID-19.The First Nations that have reported COVID-19 cases as of Oct. 5include:

• 11 in Fisher River Cree Nation.
• 7 in York Factory First Nation.
• 2 in Peguis First Nation.
• 1 in Sagkeeng First Nation.
• 1 in Tataskweyak Cree Nation.