GULL BAY FIRST NATION – Gull Bay First Nation, among those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, reported its eighth confirmed case Saturday.
The announcement is cause for particular concern because it involves an individual who worked at a checkpoint guarding road access to the community, located about 200 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.
The band said it has identified at least 44 people who may be at risk due to close contact with the individual, who is a First Nation staff member. That includes 32 residents and an unspecified number of staff. The band also said it had identified 12 members living in Thunder Bay who visited the community on April 25 as part of a food donation effort that turned contentious.
“We strongly suggest to all those who came from Thunder Bay last weekend to immediately contact the Thunder Bay District Health Unit to arrange for testing,” said Chief Wilfred King in a statement. The chief also reiterated the band's call for non-residents to stay away from the community for the time being.
On Saturday evening, Health Canada nurses instructed security staff at the community checkpoint to return home to self-isolate and monitor for symptoms for 14 days. That means, for now, the checkpoint is moving to what the community calls “a passive phase of monitoring,” using infrared security cameras. The band council will evaluate the situation Sunday.
