A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared in Kitsaki — La Ronge reserve — in northern Saskatchewan.
The Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority (NITHA) said it declared the outbreak on Tuesday afternoon due to an increasing number of confirmed coronavirus cases.
“These outbreaks have been linked to family gatherings during the holidays,” Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said in a Facebook post.
“We ask that everyone refrain from visiting others, even if feeling well as some can be infected and not show symptoms and remember that it can take up to 14 days for symptoms to show after infection.”
LLRIB and NITHA said they are working together to contain the outbreak.
They are asking anyone experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms to self-isolate immediately and contact HealthLine 811 or a community health clinic to arrange for assessment and testing.
“Please follow the advice of the public health care teams who are working tirelessly to help slow the spread of COVID 19, which can be a very serious health risk,” Cook-Searson said.
“Please do your part and do not visit outside of your household, stay safe, wear your mask, wash your hands often and keep a social distance from others.”
As of Tuesday, there were 59 active cases on reserve in La Ronge and 58 recoveries.