Canadian Forces team from Edmonton working bedside at Opaskwayak Cree Nation care home
Medical response team from CFB Edmonton responding to COVID-19 outbreak at northern Manitoba First Nation
A medical team from CFB Edmonton has arrived to help a northern Manitoba First Nation grappling with a COVID-19 outbreak.
The multi-purpose medical assistance team, made up of nurses, medical technicians, and general duty personnel, arrived at Opaskwayak Cree Nation on Saturday evening.
The military response comes after all 28 residents at the northern community's Rod McGillivary Memorial Care Home tested 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 assigned to work with the care home facility and medical staff 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 OCN says 20 residents have recovered from COVID-19, but are on enhanced monitoring for the next 72 hours. Seven others are still sick.
Thirty staff have recovered, out of a total of 38 who tested positive for the illness.
Cases of COVID-19 have increased in Opaskwayak — a community with approximately 3,000 people on reserve, roughly 520 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. The First Nation now has 75 active cases, and two deaths from the disease have been reported.
The community is under a lockdown, 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 community has the full support of the federal government and the Canadian Armed Forces, and residents of the care home are in contact with their families.