With some provinces looking to ease restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic to get their economies going again, what about First Nations?
There are 135 confirmed cases on-reserve, as of Tuesday, and the number seems to climb every day.
When will First Nations know when they may be able to take down the barricades?
“We expect that in the next three, four weeks we would have much more solid data in order to paint that picture,” said Dr. Tom Wong, the chief medical officer of health at Indigenous Services Canada, on Nation to Nation Thursday.
Wong has joined Nation to Nation weekly since the pandemic began to give Indigenous people the latest on the fight against the virus. His full interview can be found below.
For special coverage of the novel coronavirus go to: APTN News COVID-19
Meanwhile, in ‘Namgis First Nation on Cormorant Island off the northern coast of Vancouver Island people there mourn the loss of a community member.
Cindy Mountain, 59, thought she was getting her annual cold but it turned out to be the novel coronavirus.
It made her so sick that she died within three weeks, leaving behind four children and many grandchildren.
Her death, and several others unrelated to the COVID-19 virus, has taken a toll on the community.
“This is also the third death in the community in less than a month and the community really hasn’t had time or the opportunity to mourn their people,” said Dr. Dan Cutfeet, a senior doctor with ‘Namgis Health Centre.
Cutfeet is from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation in northwestern Ontario, but has made a home on the island where there are 26 confirmed cases of the virus.
He explains in his interview to host Todd Lamirande how the community is doing to fight the virus.
