'They're afraid to come out': Kashechewan chief says residents are worried about soaring COVID-19 case numbers
Kashechewan, a First Nation community of 1,800 people in Ontario's far north, is getting hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a telephone interview, Chief Leo Friday told CTV News that people are scared.
"Everybody here seems to be worried … they're afraid to come out," Friday said.
Marc Miller, Canada's minister of Indigenous services, said the majority of the cases are either children under age 12 who are not eligible for a vaccine, or people under age 18 who've either had only one vaccine dose or none.
Miller also said of the almost 900 active cases on First Nation territories across the country, Kashechewan has 232 of them.
"The cases in Kashechewan form roughly a quarter of the active cases in Canada," he said.
Miller said the government is helping with funding for food and supplies, and to build isolation units for people who are ill and residing with large families. He also said more nurses and paramedics have been sent to help.
"We remain committed to working with and supporting Chief Friday and Kashechewan in this difficult time and we thank all those working on the ground tirelessly to support the community," Miller said.
But Friday said he doesn't think the isolation units will be ready until sometime next week.
"We just (got) approval on Sunday to go ahead, but we don’t even have the money yet to hire people and those people that we asked for to come in to erect these units -- the Canadian armed Forces -- I don’t think they’re here yet," Friday said.
Miller said the Moderna vaccine that was given to elders and other adults earlier this year has created a firewall, but he said the situation in Kashechewan remains alarming.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion, 1 person seriously injured: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.