OHSWEKEN, Ont. — Public health officials in Six Nations of the Grand River say the Indigenous community is “in crisis” after a recent rise in cases of COVID-19.
A band council statement says there are now 14 active and 33 probable cases in the community in southwestern Ontario.
The council says the spike in cases is associated with private gatherings, and band members travelling from event to event against public health advice.
Six Nations reported five confirmed and two probable cases on its website last Friday.
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Six Nations’ emergency control group decided to close the territorial borders to non-band members.
Six Nations later relaxed its safety protocols along with the rest of Ontario, but the band council says its emergency control group is now considering restoring some of the earlier restrictions.
Six Nations is a predominantly Haudenosaunee community of nearly 13,000 people.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2020.
The Canadian Press
