Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation in state of emergency over COVID-19 outbreak

Members of Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation are being urged to stay home as the community deals with a rash of delta-variant cases during the fourth wave of COVID-19.

A two-week stay at home order is in effect in the community, located about 90 kilometres northwest of Portage la Prairie along the western shore of Lake Manitoba. 

As of Wednesday night, there were 81 positive cases in the past six weeks and 54 active cases, according to Virginia Lukianchuk, Sandy Bay's pandemic response co-ordinator. Half of all positive cases have been in people who are double vaccinated, she said, many of whom have underlying health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, putting them at an increased risk. 

"I think everybody's been so complacent with COVID lately because everything's opened up and they've kind of forgotten that it is still here," she said.

"Just because you're double vaccinated does not mean that you are immune to COVID."

About 25 of the 81 positive cases are in children, Lukianchuk said. Of the current active cases, there are five hospitalizations, two people in ICU and one person who acquired the virus in hospital has died, she added. 

The delta variant is spreading rapidly between households, she said, so people need to stop visiting friends and relatives. Overcrowded households are making isolation for contacts and cases very difficult.

"Each positive case has a lot of contacts and we fear it is only a matter of time before those contacts become positive cases as well," says a press release issued Wednesday by Sandy Bay's chief and council and pandemic planning team. 

"There are also way too many people who are not complying with isolation orders."

The press release says security is posted outside of non-compliant homes and the Manitoba First Nation Police Service is issuing fines to those who don't abide by the 11 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew. 

Lukianchuck said the pandemic team has met and is taking steps to slow the spread by  limiting the number of non-essential services. Health services are now by appointment only, she said. 

She's urging people to get tested as soon as they notice flu- or cold-like symptoms.

"They feel it's more like a cold to them so they're not coming in for testing right away and by this time they already may have given the COVID to somebody else," she said. 

She's also encouraging adults to come to the vaccine clinics underway. 

"Try and get your third dose as soon as you can. The vaccine is helping to keep people out of the hospital," she said.

"I want people to stay home until we can get a grip on everybody that has COVID and stay home and not infecting others."