Military sent to Opaskwayak Cree Nation after every resident at care home contracts COVID-19

The Canadian Armed Forces have arrived at Opaskwayak Cree Nation, as the northern Manitoba First Nation grapples with a COVID-19 outbreak in the community and at a care home where every resident has tested positive.

Seven military members from CFB Shilo in Manitoba are on the ground at Opaskwayakas of Thursday, saidOnekanew (Chief) Christian Sinclair.

The military is there to assess the situation andmeet with medical staff, and are "getting an idea ofexactly what will be required once they exhaust all the [health-care] resources within the region," he said.

Sinclair expects medical reinforcements to follow.

"That's exactly why they're there," he said of the military's involvement,"and what we expect."

The Rod McGillivary Memorial Care Home on OCN has reported infections among all 28 of its residents (17 of whom have shownsymptoms) and17of the home's workers, Sinclair said. He has previously said there were 48 workers in total at the home.

'Stretched pretty thin'

The outbreak began on Oct. 21, when a staff member became infected. One resident of the home has died and the reported hospitalizationsinclude a nurse from the care home.

"Our resources weregetting stretched pretty thin, to the point thatas of yesterday, we hadtwo nurses left," Sinclair said.

"We have to be able to accommodate the shortfall of workers, ones that are getting sick and are in isolation."

Cases are rising in Opaskwayak a community about 520 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg and in neighbouring communities. OCNis a regional hub, Sinclair said, and a growing numberof people in the area with COVID-19 are filling self-isolation unitsset up at a veterans' community home andschool.

"We're doing our best now to cope," he said. "But to ensure we have the resources available to do what we got to do, we encourage our people daily to stay home."

Opaskwayakreported nine new infections Thursdayfor a total of 77 active cases in the community, which has about 3,000 membersliving on-reserve.

The First Nationis facinga strictlockdown, under whichonly one person per household can leave for essential supplies, with exceptions for essential service workers. Social gatherings with non-household members are banned.

A spokesperson with the Canadian Armed Forces said the military's reconnaissance team is also assessing the virus's impact in The Pas, the town that neighbours Opaskwayak.

"This assessment is being done so that the CAF can be prepared if a formal request for assistance is received from provincial authorities," the spokesperson said in an email.

Manitoba's health ministersaid the province won'thesitate to answer the military's call if help is needed.

Cameron Friesen saidnurses have been deployed to the surrounding area, as well asMoose Lake, and a leader in long-term care is participating on daily calls with community leaders.

"It's a broad response on the part of the province. We knowthat the military is also there assessing what they could do to help, and those conversations continue."

'SOS signal': NDP

The Oppositiondemanded the Tory government stop waiting on the military.

"Apublic health nurse isone step," NDP Leader Wab Kinew said, "but what about the actual nurse at the bedside who's going to care for the people who are sick?"

"We got that SOSsignal coming out of the region right now not only OCN, butalso in many of the communities in the area, there is a legitimate and urgent need for health-care resources."