COVID-19 Daily News Digest – October 30, 2020
Brazil’s First Wave Isn’t Over Yet
Those hopes were dashed in recent weeks as COVID-19 cases in the city spiked again among people who hadn’t been infected, triggering another round of restrictions as the mayor shut down the bars and beaches. João Hugo, a doctor who oversees a Manaus hospital, saw the number of patients climbing in early October. The critical care unit began to fill up as more people arrived with symptoms of COVID-19.
“There was an easing of restrictions. People saw the number of cases wasn’t rising, and they felt safe again,” Hugo said in mid-October. “The wealthier class came out of quarantine, and we started seeing a spike in new cases. The virus is now spreading among those who were isolating.”
In Peru’s Amazon, protecting a village from drug traffickers, loggers – and COVID-19
“I didn’t initially want to take on the responsibility,” Cahuasa said on a video call, wearing a headpiece and large necklace made from local seeds.
“With all this pain, I took it on, and had the strength to say ‘no’, enough killings, enough abuses by outsiders who don’t recognize our culture.”
Part of the Kakataibo indigenous people, his 130-strong village Unipacuyacu has been fighting for a collective land title for more than 20 years to drive out the different groups he calls the “colonists”.
https://news.trust.org/item/20201029105458-0agku/
State expands testing to 71 sites in 56 counties, seven Indigenous nations
A list of testing sites across the state is available at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/community-testing.htm. The list includes all testing sites, including free community testing sites as well as private sites that aren’t free.
“Testing is a critically important part of our state’s response to this pandemic, and we want to make it easier for those who need a test to get a test,” Evers said in a statement. “Distance is one barrier that we can do something about, and one of the ways to address this issue is to offer testing in more places.”
Opioid crisis sees First Nations deaths double during pandemic
“There are indications that the street drug supply of opioids has grown more unpredictable and toxic due to the pre pandemic supply chains being disrupted by travel restrictions and border measures,” Tam said.
The deadly trend is worse in British Columbia where First Nations deaths due to opioid overdose have almost doubled.
First Nations people accounted for 16 per cent of all overdose deaths this year and they were 5.6 times more likely to die from overdose compared to the rest of the population.
Research Confirms Opportunity For Indigenous Tourism To Grab More Market Share Due To COVID-19
Conducted in August, the market research noted that COVID has induced travel-related attitudinal and behavioral shifts that have made Indigenous experiences more favourable to the Canadian domestic visitor. The study also determined, however, that Indigenous tourism experiences were not yet top of mind with travelers who were now turning to explore Canada, while international borders remain closed.
Take precautions seriously, Pimicikamak community members urge public
We’re on complete lockdown,” Roudani said. “We pray for the best. It is scary, because we are a small community … I sat here and thought about it, and I’m like, everybody is a contact.”
Roudani attended a funeral Oct. 18. It’s that gathering health officials believe may have been the source of the community spread.
“It was a big funeral,” Roudani said, adding that everyone took precautions including physically distancing, wearing masks, and using hand sanitizer.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pimicikamak-lockdown-covid-19-1.5783005