Members of the Canadian Armed Forces had arrived in Bearskin Lake, a First Nation in northern Ontario affected by an outbreak of COVID-19 that has seen more than half of the population infected.
Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said on Saturday the soldiers were doing an initial assessment.
More than half of the roughly 400 people living in the remote First Nation 600 kilometers north of Thunder Bay, Ontario, have tested positive for COVID-19. Even more are in quarantine.
This left the community with a decreasing number of people to carry out essential tasks such as delivering firewood, food and medicine to isolated people.
Remote First Nations nearby donated supplies to Bearskin Lake, stocking planes with essentials such as food, medicine and air purifiers.
“They appreciate all the support they have received from neighboring communities,” Nishnawbe Aski Grand Chief Derek Fox, who represents 49 First Nations in northern Ontario and is originally from Bearskin, told CBC News previously. Lake.
“But the problem is, there are no boots on the pitch. So whatever goes into the First Nation, there is no one to deliver those things. There is no one to chop the wood. “
The arrival of the troops comes at a critical time as Bearskin Lake Chief Lefty Kamenawatamin fears some members of the community may need hospitalization.
He said the community is around 80% vaccinated, but is concerned about the elderly, infants and vulnerable people with chronic health conditions.
“Coffeeaholic. Lifelong alcohol fanatic. Typical travel expert. Prone to fits of apathy. Internet trailblazer.”