Île-à-la-Crosse imposing 24-hour lockdown as coronavirus spreads in northern Saskatchewan

The Northern Village of Île-à-la-Crosse and the Sakitawak Metis Nation have declared a 24-hour community lockdown as the novel coronavirus continues to spread in northern Saskatchewan.

The lockdown was declared Wednesday by Mayor Duane Favel of Île-à-la-Crosse and president of Sakitawak Metis Nation, Jimmy Durocher.

Starting Friday, there will be 24-hour security.

Non-community members will not be allowed to enter Île-à-la-Crosse or Sakitawak Metis Nation starting Friday. Exemptions will be made for essential services like front-line workers, nurses and utility technicians for SaskPower and SaskTel.

An exemption will also be made for those needing access to the health facility within the communities.

Employees who are returning home from work in Northern Alberta are asked to self-isolate for 14 days as directed by health officials. Those who are returning home from northern Saskatchewan mining sites are also being asked to self-isolate.

Signage will be installed on the highways leading into the communities informing non-community members of the restrictions.

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“This lockdown will be in effect until we determine, in consultation with the chief medical officer, that there is minimal to no risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus,” said Favel and Durocher in a joint-statement published online.

“This lockdown is being implemented for the safety of our community and more importantly for the safety of our elders and most vulnerable members of our community.”

The far north has become the epicentre of new cases in Saskatchewan.

As of Wednesday, 52 of the province’s 86 active cases are in the far north. Clearwater Dene Nation and La Loche have reported 35 cases, where an outbreak was declared on April 17. Eleven of those cases were reported on Wednesday.

Furthermore, two COVID-19 related deaths have been reported in the far north within days. On Sunday, a community elder who was a long-term care patient died from COVID-19, and on Wednesday the province reported another person had died in the far north. Both were in their 80s.

Health officials also declared a cluster of cases at the Lloydminster Hospital. Thirteen people tested positive for COVID-19 including five health-care workers and eight patients.

La Loche and Lloydminster will not reopen with the rest of the province on Monday.

“As a result of these two outbreaks, Phase 1 of the Re-open Saskatchewan plan will not begin in La Loche or in the community of Lloydminster on Monday (May 4) as previously planned,” Premier Scott Moe said Wednesday during a press conference.