CEO Michael Pelletier confirmed the news in a notice to the community issued Friday.
It’s the only active case confirmed in the First Nation, he said, with two other cases announced earlier this month now resolved.
It’s the fourth case the First Nation has reported this year. It announced a case on Jan. 30 for the first time since November, followed by two cases on Feb. 5 that were related to the release of inmates from local correctional centres experiencing major outbreaks.
Contact tracing by the FWFN health team was underway, Pelletier said, along with support for the infected individual to self-isolate.
No more information would be released in order to respect the individual’s privacy, he added.
Pelletier asked members to remain at home as much as possible and only leave for necessities, and to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.
If experiencing symptoms, FWFN members are advised to contact the COVID-19 hotline at (807) 698-0415 (Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.), or the family support line after hours at (807) 472-7701.
At present, residential areas of the community are restricted to residents and band employees only, though businesses on Fort William First Nation are open to the general public.
In a Feb. 18 letter to FWFN community members, Thunder Bay District Health Unit medical officer of health Dr. Janet DeMille promised they would be prioritized for early access to vaccination.
“Those who are at highest risk for severe illness have been chosen to be among the first to be offered protective vaccines,” she wrote. “This includes First Nations communities, as well as those living in long-term care homes, and health care workers in Ontario.”
The letter was accompanied by an information package for members, emphasizing everyone could choose whether or not to receive one, but promoting them as safe and a necessary step to contain the pandemic.
