Why Saskatchewan’s northwest became a COVID-19 hot spot
Travel from an Albertan oilsands camp sparked Saskatchewan’s largest active outbreak of COVID-19.
The northern village of La Loche and the surrounding area has 50 active cases of the virus — more than half the province’s total. Two elders, former long-term care residents, have died.
But why is La Loche — with a population of less than 2,500 people — suddenly a COVID-19 hot spot?
THE SPARK
Health authorities have traced at least 29 cases in the La Loche region to travel from an oilsands camp near Fort Mcmurray.
Imperial Oil Ltd’s Kearl Lake oilsands project had three positive tests for the virus on April 15, the same day La Loche declared its first case.
Citing privacy reasons, company spokesman Jon Harding could not say how many workers were from northern Saskatchewan. The cases quickly spread: one on April 15; four on April 17; 41 on April 30.
More cases were also reported in nearby English River First Nation in Patuanak and at Clearwater River Dene First Nation; the health authority did not confirm whether those were also linked to the camp.
THE SPREAD
Northern Saskatchewan is geographically vast and sparsely populated, making it seem an unlikely place for an outbreak of a virus that thrives on large gatherings.
Dr. Nnamdi Ndubuka, medical health officer with the Northern Inter-tribal Health Authority, said travel between different communities in the northwest is common, which makes contact tracing “significantly” harder.
He thinks it may be necessary to entirely restrict residents to their home community, he said.
“When you’re searching for one individual in one location and then you learn that they’re elsewhere, it poses a challenge.”
He added that “significant overcrowding” in housing on First Nations means many more contacts for every confirmed case.
Dr. Craig Jenne, an assistant professor and immunologist at the University of Calgary, said rural areas are also just as susceptible as big cities.
“Even in a rural setting, people will still congregate at a grocery store or gas station or service,” he said. “It’s not just the density of housing or the density of residence. It’s the fact that people wind up at common focal points.”
Rick Laliberte is the incident commander of the northwest incident command centre, an association of First Nations, Metis and municipal leaders in the province’s north.
Laliberte said outreach staff initially didn’t have access to personal protective equipment and that people with the virus in La Loche couldn’t easily self-isolate, which is why he believes the spread continued.
He’s frustrated the outbreak wasn’t contained in Alberta, noting workers are still coming across the border every day.
“We’re the ones taking the measures on this side to contain an outbreak from Alberta.”
THE CRACKDOWN
On Thursday, the province announced all non-critical travel to the north was restricted, including travel between different regions.
For the northwest, in particular, Premier Scott Moe urged people to remain at home in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.
“This is one area of Saskatchewan where if you can stay at home — not just in your community, but at home — we are asking you to do so,” Moe said.
The health authority also plans to deploy 50 to 100 staff to the northwest to assist with contact tracing until the end of next month.
Laliberte and Ndubuka said the stigma of a positive test is also discouraging people from seeking help. “There is a lot of fear and anxiety into what a positive test would mean for that individual,” Ndubuka said.
Laliberte said the outbreak in the region does not reflect on the people living there. “The people are innocent. They’re not purposely spreading the virus. You might be carrying it and you don’t know.”