Indigenous Services Canada COVID-19 update — Week of March 24, 2022

News release

March 24, 2022 — Ottawa, Ontario, Traditional unceded Algonquin Territory — Indigenous Services Canada

Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) commends the tireless work of community leadership and frontline healthcare workers for their immense and ongoing contributions to their communities’ pandemic response. Their efforts and quick action continue to save lives.

Vaccination remains the most efficient form of protection against COVID-19. First Nations, Inuit and Métis across the country have access to vaccines through vaccine clinics, which are well underway in Indigenous communities. Now is the time to get vaccinated to protect your community, your Elders and your family.

Below are some of the latest updates from ISC for the week of March 21, 2022.

Vaccinations

As of March 22, 2022, over 88% of individuals aged 12 and older in First Nations, Inuit and territorial communities have received a second dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine, and over 29% have received a third dose. Over 51% of children aged 5 to 11 have received at least one dose.

Vaccine information is updated and published on Thursdays and can be found at canada.ca/covid-vaccines-indigenous.

COVID-19 cases

As of March 23, 2022, the following case counts have been reported from First Nations communities:

  • 93,154 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, of which 13,420 are the Omicron variant
  • 2,384 active cases
  • 3,068 hospitalizations
  • 90,084 recovered cases
  • 686 deaths

For the week of March 17 to 23, 2022, the average daily reported active case counts dropped by 7.7% compared with the daily average of the week prior.

This is compared with

  • a 6.2% decrease in average daily reported active case counts reported for the week of March 10 to 16, 2022, compared with the week prior
  • an 11% decrease in average daily reported active case counts reported for the week of March 3 to 9, 2022, compared with the week prior.

Case count information is updated and published daily Monday to Friday and can be found at Canada.ca/indigenous-covid-cases.

Request for Federal Assistance (RFA) approvals and extensions

  • Kashechewan First Nation’s (Ontario) RFA was approved on February 1, 2022, and subsequently extended by two weeks. A new RFA was approved on March 2, 2022, for continued Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) support; a two-week extension was approved on March 16, 2022, with an end date of at least March 30, 2022.
  • Attawapiskat First Nation’s (Ontario) RFA was approved on February 16, 2022, with an end date of March 16, 2022. A new RFA for continued CAF support was approved on March 16, 2022, with an end date of at least March 30, 2022.
  • Kasabonika Lake First Nation’s (Ontario) RFA was approved on February 25, 2022. A two-week extension of support was approved on March 10, 2022, with an end date of at least March 24, 2022. The RFA will close out on March 24, 2022, with no extension anticipated at this time.
  • Deer Lake First Nation’s (Ontario) RFA was approved on March 18, 2022, for CAF support until at least April 2, 2022.

RFA recent conclusions

  • The Operation Remote Immunity 3.0 RFA was approved on November 10, 2021. The RFA will remain active until March 31, 2022, to address any unforeseen support requirements.
  • Mishkeegogamang First Nation’s (Ontario) RFA was approved on February 9, 2022. CAF support concluded on March 19, 2022.

Supports currently available to First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities

Across the country, ISC regional offices and regional medical officers of health remain available to assist First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and organizations should they require immediate assistance with an outbreak or require supports such as temporary infrastructure, rapid testing or personal protective equipment.

Indigenous communities and organizations can also continue to request needs-based funding from the Indigenous Community Support Fund. This fund provides Indigenous leadership and organizations with the flexibility needed to design and implement community-based solutions to prevent, prepare for and respond to the spread of COVID-19 within their communities.

These funds can be used for measures including, but not limited to

  • support for Elders and vulnerable community members
  • measures to address food insecurity, such as support for the purchase, transportation and distribution of food, and access to traditional foods through hunting and fishing
  • educational and other support for children
  • mental health assistance and emergency response services
  • preparedness measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

ISC continues to work with Indigenous communities to collaborate, share information and co-develop Indigenous-led, distinctions-based communications and health response approaches with Indigenous partners by listening to their advice and guidance.

Associated links

Contacts

For more information, media may contact:

Alison Murphy
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Indigenous Services
Alison.Murphy@sac-isc.gc.ca

Media Relations
Indigenous Services Canada
819-953-1160
media@sac-isc.gc.ca

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