While a COVID-19 outbreak continues on the Canim Lake Band, a lockdown order has now been lifted as the situation improves.
The lockdown was implemented on Jan. 8, days after the first cases were reported on the ban. But today, the band now says the number of recoveries from COVID-19 are higher than the number of active cases, and it says the majority of eligible adults have now gotten a first dose of vaccine against the virus.
There have been at least 63 cases of COVID-19 on the band, which has a population of 234 members according to Chief Helen Henderson. There was also one death on the band from the virus, a 77-year-old elder.
“It is our strong family values that allowed COVID to take hold in our community. But it is also our strong community values that allowed us to pull together and do what was needed for the good of the community as a whole,” Henderson says.
“In the larger picture, we have learned many lessons about dealing with a pandemic that can be used to benefit other communities.”
The band says families that are still affected by the virus will remain in isolation, and it says the outbreak still will not be declared over for at least four more weeks.
But the band says it has met requirements of the Provincial Health Officer to lift the lockdown, which means students will be able to ride the bus and attend school in person again, and that members can once again go into other communities for errands, groceries and appointments. The band is also planning a phased reopening of its school and administration offices.
“I recognize the sacrifices made by the Canim Lake Band have benefited everyone in the South Cariboo,” mayor of 100 Mile House Mitch Campsall says. “Through collective action and a unified response, they not only fought back against the outbreak in their own community, but they helped to reduce the risk of virus transmission in the wider South Cariboo area.”
From Jan. 3-23, there were 66 cases of COVID-19 reported in the 100 Mile House local health area, which includes 100 Mile House, 70 Mile House, Lac La Hache, Canim Lake and communities in between.
Weekly cases have been more than cut in half in the past three weeks, with 29 from Jan. 3-9, twenty-four from Jan. 10-16 and 13 from Jan. 17-23.
