FORT WILLIAM FIRST NATION - The spread of COVID-19 to Fort William First Nation has resulted in the community declaring a state of emergency.
The Band Council voted to declare the emergency Wednesday evening, which will include a public curfew and requests for support from the provincial and federal governments.
“Cases of COVID-19 have spread to Fort William First Nation,” reads a statement issued by the Michael Pelletier, chief executive officer of Fort William First Nation. “Our Pandemic Response Team members including health staff, Anishnabek Police Service are quickly becoming overwhelmed and impacted by the spread of the COVID-19 virus.”
Effective immediately, a public curfew will be in place from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily. The curfew is meant to keep people indoors as much as possible to limit community spread. Exceptions will be made for community employment, essential services, and medical needs.
“The community has many vulnerable persons – elders, persons immune compromised, those affected by mental health and addictions,” Pelletier’s statement reads. “The crowded living conditions of multiple families living together has created conditions for greater community spread of the virus. There is limited health staff and infrastructure in the First Nation to support community members.”
The state of emergency also includes requests to the provincial and federal government for assistance, requests for mass testing and contact tracing, requests for an isolation shelter in the community or the city of Thunder Bay, additional police funding, and that provincial and federal government include Fort William First Nation in the priority communities receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccinations in the community have already begun to roll out to seniors and those with underlying health conditions or disabilities.
Between last Friday and Monday there were seven new positive COVID-19 cases in the First Nation and results of additional tests on 80 residents are still pending.
