A COVID-19 State of Emergency has been declared in Neskantaga First Nation.
The remote northern community is reporting an infection rate of 6 per cent of off-reserve members.
Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa says the COVID outbreak in Thunder Bay is threatening the community and the entire region.
He is calling on Premier Doug Ford to send resources now to stop any further spread.
Mamakwa says the government must support the local health unit in Kiiwetinoong and the work of the health unit in Thunder Bay that is trying to contain the virus among the homeless population.
He says many residents have been forced off-reserve into Thunder Bay because of a lack of housing.
The NDP’s Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation critic says Neskantaga doesn’t have the resources needed to help its members with this outbreak in Thunder Bay, and need the urgent help of the province now.
He’s also calling on the government to speed up its vaccine rollout to ensure Thunder Bay shelter residents and staff are prioritized and vaccinated.
Neskantaga Chief Chris Moonias says 12 members have been identified as positive, including one in critical condition at the health sciences centre.
