Siksika First Nation officials urge caution as COVID-19 investigations quadruple

The Siksika First Nation now has 10 recorded active cases of COVID-19 and 258 people under investigation for the virus, according to updates from Dr. Deena Hinshaw and Siksika Chief Ouray Crowfoot on Thursday.

The latest figures reflect a sharp climb in investigations on the reserve from June 27, when just 58 people were awaiting test results.

The 200-person increase, and in only five days, has led officials to urge community members to take extra precautions to prevent further transmission of the virus.

Crowfoot told CBC News that though the province is now allowing public gatherings of up to 200 people, he is asking the community to limit its own to 10.

The advisory is not mandatory, Crowfoot said, but a strong suggestion in hopes of containing the potential spread on the reserve.

"If someone wants to, you know, not take heed to these guidelines, they're not just putting themselves at risk; they're putting other nation members at risk," Crowfoot said.

'We need to protect our vulnerable people'

Nation member Alayna Doore said the community is concerned about the virus, and so is she.

While they have since recovered, Doore's own mother and teenage son both tested positive for COVID-19 last month.

"People are worried. People have a lot of fear," Doore said.

"I drove through the community today and you could see that there's no traffic; people are staying home. So I'm very, very happy with that. We need to protect our vulnerable people and ourselves."

In her daily briefing on Thursday, Hinshaw reminded Albertans to refrain from stigmatizing locations where outbreaks have occurred.

"Whether it's the Siksika First Nation … or any other group of cases, we should be supporting and encouraging," Hinshaw said.