Canadian Forces team from Edmonton working bedside at Opaskwayak Cree Nation care home

Amedical teamfrom CFBEdmonton has arrived to help a northern Manitoba First Nationgrappling with a COVID-19 outbreak.

Themulti-purposemedical assistance team, made upof nurses, medical technicians, and general duty personnel, arrived atOpaskwayak Cree Nationon Saturday evening.

The military response comes after all 28 residents at the northern community's Rod McGillivary Memorial Care Hometested positive for COVID-19, as did many of the facility's staff.

The 12-member team was preceded by reconnaissance from Canadian Forces members from CFB Shilo, who made an initial assessment of the situation last week.

The CFB Edmonton team has been assignedtoworkwith the care home facility and medicalstaff to help with infection control and prevention.

The team "will support the personal care home with immediate medical care and support to residents, patient management assistance, general health-related support to residents, and other assistance to support the health care management within the personal care home," a Department of National Defence spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for OCNsays 20 residents have recovered from COVID-19, butare on enhanced monitoring for the next 72 hours. Seven othersare still sick.

Thirtystaff have recovered,out of a total of 38 who tested positive for the illness.

Cases of COVID-19 have increasedin Opaskwayak a community with approximately 3,000 people on reserve, roughly520 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. The First Nation now has75 activecases, and two deaths from the disease have been reported.

The communityis under alockdown, under which only one person per household can leave for essential supplies, with exceptions for essential service workers. As is the case across Manitoba, social gatherings with non-household members are banned.

The OCN spokesperson said the communityhasthe full support of the federal government and the Canadian Armed Forces, andresidentsof the care home are in contact withtheir families.