After months with zero cases, Kahnawake grapples with COVID-19 outbreak

After months without any reported cases, the Mohawk community of Kahnawakejust south of Montreal is grappling with a COVID-19 outbreak, the size of which doubled in a span of 24 hours.

The outbreak was first reported on Wednesday, with eight cases total. That number has since ballooned to at least 16. At least 15 of those cases involve people that are not fully vaccinated,according to the public health team in Kahnawake.

It says the latest infections likely came about due to contact between relatives from different households.

The community is trying to get the spread of the virus under control, while urging its population to adhere to public health guidelines and get fully vaccinated as quickly as possible.

"Overall, our biggest difficulty is getting those second doses [to people]" said Lisa Westaway, the executive director of the KateriMemorial Hospital Centre.

"Like you've seen all through Quebec, people are just not showing up for their second dose. I would attribute that to the fact that with the [loosening] of measures, people are having the perception that they're safe."

About 75 people were exposed to the virus at gatherings that were attended by others who had tested positive, according to Westaway.

Along with Kahnawake's Public Safety Commission, Westaway issued a reminder of the public health rules that pertain to physical distancing and masks.

"Although we are in a greenlevel alert, this does not mean the pandemic is over," they said in a joint statement on Thursday.

"We must remain vigilant and follow public health measures as a means to prevent any outbreaks and keep us on the right path forward."