Potential COVID-19 exposure at two popular events puts Indigenous communities on alert

Some Indigenous leaders are asking community members to get tested for COVID-19 if they participated in either the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaup pilgrimage, or the Innu Nikamumusic festival.

A resident of Wemotaci, in the Mauricie region,tested positive for the virus after attending bothevents.

The Council of the Abitibiwinni First Nation in the Abitibi-Tmiscamingue region, despite being hundreds of kilometres from Wemotaci,is advising residents to self-isolate and contact health authorities to be tested for COVID-19.

Chief MonikKistabishsaid she's not sure how many people from her community attended the typically very popular events this year because of the pandemic, but she's asking anyone who did to get tested as a precaution.

"Usually it's really popular," she said. "I never went, but I know they get lots of people that go every year."

Officials in Uashatmak Mani-utenam a community neighbouring Sept-leson the North Shore, where the Innu Nikamu festival was held are also asking residents there to get tested.

The festival's organizers shared a notice on social media from Uashatmak Mani-utenam about the possibility of exposure, advising attendees to take appropriate steps if they think they may have been in contact or are experiencing symptoms.

Kistibish says people in Abitibiwinni are close to a town and hospital so they can get tested easily, whereas it will be far more difficult for people in more remote communities.

"We want to make sure we keep our members healthy and safe," she said. "That's the main reason, because we all know that among the First Nations we have certain living conditions that are different from the rest of Canadians."

Kistabish said there are no confirmed positive cases in communities in the area, but that doesn't mean the virus isn't circulating. She called for continued vigilance.

"We have made provisions either from the First Nations community,or other communities who may have been exposed, so we can accommodate them and we can arrange for them to have a test," said Doctor Omobola Sobanjofrom Abitibi-Tmiscamingue public health.