One new COVID-19 case reported on Six Nations

COVID-19 has returned to Six Nations of the Grand River.

More than a week since the disease was last detected on the territory southwest of Hamilton, a single positive case was reported Thursday morning.

Ohsweken Public Health is tracing the infected person’s contacts and asking them to self-isolate and monitor for symptoms for 14 days.

Prior to this new case, 11 residents of Six Nations of the Grand River had tested positive. One resident died on April 9 while the remaining 10 recovered and were officially cleared.

In total so far, the Six Nations COVID-19 assessment centre has administered more than 600 tests and asked 39 residents to self-isolate.

Security measures enacted by the elected council and Confederacy chiefs remain in place, including closing most entrances to the reserve and putting up roadblocks at others, where drivers must show a vehicle ID badge.

The community emergency declared on March 13 remains in place.

“As summer progresses it is evident this virus will not dissipate,” Six Nations elected council said in a media release.

“Public health officials are reminding the community that even though the province is opening certain areas up, it is import that community members keep practicing social distancing, maintaining hand hygiene, wear non-medical masks while in public and avoid all non-essential travel.”

The virus prompted elected council to shift the annual Bread and Cheese Day gathering to home delivery. Bread and Cheese Day is a nearly centuryold tradition that draws up to 20,000 Six Nations members from on and off-reserve to a community celebration that coincides with Victoria Day and is marked by midway rides and games, a parade, and the sharing of the eponymous foods.

Instead of doling out hand-cut cheese and thick slices of bread at the Gaylord Powless Arena in Ohsweken, volunteers drove refrigeration vans and trailers around the territory on Monday, placing thousands of loaves of bread and pieces of cheese in sanitized coolers residents placed outside their homes.

J.P. Antonacci’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about the regions of Haldimand and Norfolk.