‘What we ask is for people to stay home’: active COVID cases at Hatchet Lake surpasses 100

By Nigel Maxwell

Editor’s note: This story was amended at 8 p.m. Tuesday to include a statement from PAGC.

The Chief of Hatchet Lake Denesuline First Nation says every effort is being taken to control the spread of COVID-19 in the small, remote community.

An outbreak was declared on June 28. Before that, there were fewer than 10 COVID-19 cases in the community, but as of Tuesday morning, the number had increased to 109.

Of these cases, 96 are active and 13 have recovered. In total, three have been hospitalized, including two in-patient hospitalizations and one ICU hospitalization. Chief Bart Tsannie told paNOW they have hired a security team to help patrol the community.

“Just to get people not to gather,” he explained.

Twenty one per cent of the cases (23) are variants of concern and confirmed to be the Delta variant first identified in India. Tsannie said nursing staff in the community are feeling overwhelmed, and added a further challenge is the community’s shortage of housing and overcrowding.

“There’s some places where there’s like 10 people in a house or even 12, and some do have cases,” he said.

All community activities have been grounded to a halt, but the band’s store remains open. Tsannie explained there are limits though on how many people can be in the store at one time, and there is mandatory masking. The transportation of food and fuel to the community by way of ferry, continues as normal.

Roughly 2,000 people currently reside in the community, and according to the latest numbers from the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority (NITHA), 57 per cent of the population 12 years of age and older have received a first dose. Only 16 per cent of that same age group have received both doses.

NITHA is currently working with the community officials to address the outbreak, and continues to encourage all residents to get vaccinated.

“What we ask is for people to stay home and help each other flatten this curve,” Tsannie said.

The community of Hatchet Lake is located 500 km north of La Ronge.

PAGC calls on governments for support

Early Tuesday evening, Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) issued a press release, calling on both levels of government (federal and provincial) to provide the resources and the support needed to address the health crisis.

“We are calling on the federal and provincial government to ensure the needs of our most remote, isolated, fly-in communities are made a priority as containing the spread of the virus is made even more difficult with underlying issues of inadequate infrastructure”, Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said in the statement. “Our communities are doing the best they can with the resources and facilities they have; yet, funding commitments to improve their health centre will make a difference in ensuring both their immediate and long-term health and safety.”

To help with the relief efforts, the PAGC leadership has also requested the Canadian Rangers to assist with the distribution of food, firewood and care packages.

At the present time, five trailers and five hotel rooms, which have been reserved for isolation purposes. are almost at capacity, and there is a growing concern that there will be a shortage of places to place families.

PAGC also indicated there are issues related to the community health centre operating beyond its maximum capacity, and the need for timely medical evacuation airlifts, which can take up to nine hours or three days depending on the weather.