Hutterite colonies in Manitoba go into lockdown after COVID-19 shows up

Two Manitoba Hutterite colonies are in voluntary lockdown because members have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Hutterian Safety Council confirmed as of July 12, positive cases were identified in Hutterite communities and they expect more will emerge.

"Within a few hours of receiving notice of a confirmed case, both communities issued short statements indicating that they are under strict quarantine for the next 14 days and that no visitation is allowed," the safety council's Mark Waldner said.

Only essential travel is being permitted, including for COVID-19 testing, and no visitors are allowed in the communities, he said.

The council is not identifying the two affected colonies.

"It has not been the practice of Manitoba Health nor the HSC [Hutterian Safety Council] to publicly identify individuals or groups because this easily leads to unnecessary stigmatization. Manitoba Health and the HSC will notify the public if a particular case could impact the greater public," a news release from the Hutterian Safety Council says.

Both communities have increased safety protocols — communal events such as meals have been suspended and sanitization teams are disinfecting common areas, including vehicles and playgrounds. Testing has included those with third-party contact, such as non-Hutterite workers at the colony's businesses.

Hutterites are Anabaptist Christians who live in communes, where they share all material possessions as property of the community rather than individuals.

"Many communities diligently protected their most vulnerable citizens, and this continues. The Hutterite way of life may be vulnerable to viruses, but it is also highly adaptable, and our members are eager to care for the sick and prevent further spread," Waldner said.

The safety council is impressed by how quickly all Manitoba colonies responded to any possible contact with the two impacted communities, Waldner said.

Multiple communities went into lockdown as a precaution, he said.

"And some families with even third-party contact went into self-isolation and/or immediately went to get tested."

A letter was sent to all colonies in Manitoba on Tuesday, encouraging everyone to get tested if they have any COVID symptoms.

"Everybody should co-operate fully with health inspectors who are responsible for contact tracing; resist the temptation to hide cases or possible contacts. The decisions made by health officials are increasingly better with more accurate data," it said.

"There is no benefit in blaming or shaming people who test positive. We are called to care for and support each other."

Since March 2020, the safety council's COVID-19 task force has been guiding the response by colonies to the pandemic. The Hutterian Safety Council is in direct communication with Manitoba Health.

"It has always been the expectation that, as Manitoba began reopening, cases of COVID-19 would appear in Hutterite communities," Waldner said.

"It is expected that more cases will develop in the coming days and the [council] will continue monitoring the situation… and maintain close contact with Manitoba Health to ensure the best and safest outcome."

Manitoba Health is investigating where the colony members may have caught the virus.

Several cases in Saskatchewan Hutterite communities have been traced to a funeral on a colony in Alberta last month. The funeral was for three teenage girls who drowned while swimming and canoeing on a river on June 10.

The safety council does not believe there is a direct link between the funeral and the Manitoba cases.

RCMP divers and members of Manitoba's Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team, or HEART, helped search for one of the bodies for more than a week.

One of the people from Manitoba who tested positive was involved in the dive team searching for the bodies but did not attend the funeral service on June 18.

"His involvement was confined to assistance on the shore of the river, and he did not contract the virus at that event," Waldner said. "The timing does not add up regarding the funeral."

Paul Maendel, a member of HEART, said the man is feeling better but remaining in his home for the next two weeks out of an abundance of caution.

"He was pretty sick for a while but said he's completely recovered, has no more symptoms, and at his last checkup at the doctor they gave him a clean bill of health," Maendel said.