COVID-19 Daily News Digest – September 1, 2020
19 members of Squamish Nation test positive for COVID-19
In a Facebook live video, Squamish Nation co-chair Kristen Rivers said the First Nation is notified of cases through a connection with the Vancouver Coastal Health and the First Nations Health Authority developed specifically for use in First Nations communities
Rivers said Sunday that approximately 10 symptomatic people are awaiting results.
“Not to be alarmed if you see the number go up,” she said. “It means that the people who have contracted the virus are doing their job and letting people know that they have been in contact with.”
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/bc-news/squamish-nation-members-positive-covid-19-bc-2676677
Squamish Nation closes offices amid multiple confirmed COVID-19 cases
“There is no need to panic. All of the patients are informed, isolated, and receiving care,” it said in a second post.
“As per public health protocols, all close contacts are already in isolation and are being tested.”
Northern Manitoba travel restrictions to return, 28 new cases of COVID-19 in province
“We know that if this virus gets into a remote, isolated community, we’ve seen in the past, there’s a real chance of it spreading and causing significant issues. These [restrictions] are in place to protect those communities,” Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin said. Roussin also asked Manitobans to respect any restrictions that individual First Nation communities have in place.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/covid-19-manitoba-1.5706231
Brazil Indigenous chief Raoni tests positive for coronavirus
Chief Raoni Metuktire, an Indigenous leader who became a symbol of the fight for the preservation of the Amazon forest in Brazil, was hospitalized with symptoms of pneumonia and tested positive for the new coronavirus, the Raoni Institute said Monday.
‘We are already at a disadvantage’: Indigenous college students concerned about online learning
“We are already at a disadvantage; we don’t want the pandemic to add to the pre-existing inequity,” the statement read.
“We want to continue to learn and we want to advance in our programs to be able to achieve our professional goals.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/indigenous-college-students-montreal-1.5706707
Historic Bristol Bay, Alaska salmon fishery dealing with latest challenge: COVID-19
As the run came to an end in mid-August, there have been 87 non-Alaska resident and 16 Alaska resident cases of COVID-19 in the Bristol Bay region. This is in the context of calls from some members of the community to shut down the fishery in response to COVID-19. It is unclear if these were detected because of more stringent controls by the industry, or the result of the fishery opening.
This area university will host series about colonialism’s impact on Native Americans
Up next is “Cultural Rituals under COVID -Virtual Native American Pow Wows” from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 1. This discussion takes a close look at how Native American communities have been impacted by COVID-19, and how their resilience is reflected in the adaptation of rituals in a virtual form.
Native-led Nonprofit Tackles Food Insecurity on Reservations
In response to the crisis, PWNA pivoted its operations to focus on food security in reservations. Supporting community-based initiatives, they are delivering food, water, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and other essential products to their partners on the ground.
With PWNA’s support, tribes are drawing on their long history of self-sufficiency, Tapia says. On some reservations, food banks are operating contactless pickup points for PWNA’s deliveries of food and water. Other community members are starting gardens and requesting seeds from PWNA.
Indigenous students choose the outdoors over the classroom
As school resumes across Canada, some Indigenous students are choosing to learn in the great outdoors instead of the classroom. They’re learning land-based traditional skills, while also studying online to reduce the risk of COVID-19.
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1783337539861
Indigenous communities in Mexico have no access to healthcare amid the pandemic
Although indigenous communities did not register COVID-19 cases for weeks or months, they are now under siege, and the situation has alarmed experts. According to official numbers, health authorities have registered at least 15,390 COVID-19 cases inside indigenous communities. Moreover, these communities have registered 1,882 coronavirus-related deaths, which means indigenous communities have a 12% mortality rate, 2% above the national 10% mortality rate.