Haida and Tahitan Nations ask for no visiting due to virus risks

DEASE LAKE — The Tahltan Nation has issued a notice that the public should avoid its territory in northwest British Columbia until there’s a vaccine or community immunity for COVID-19.

The notice was issued Thursday, when the public safety minister also announced the restriction of visitors to Haida Gwaii, where 20 people have tested positive for the virus.

The Tahltan said in a statement that the consequences of spreading

COVID-19 are too great, given the limited access to acute medical care for residents.

The nation’s territory spans almost 96,000 square kilometres of land or about 11 per cent of the province.

All non-essential travel to Dease Lake, Iskut and Telegraph Creek should be avoided, and all recreational activity access points will be blocked with gates and monitored, the statement says.

It adds the RCMP is working with the province to get additional police and conservation officer support.

Indigenous communities in the Tahltan Territory are particularly vulnerable to a COVID-19 outbreak due to their highly social culture and limited access to timely testing and medical services, the statement says.

The Haida Nation has also called on visitors to stay away, particularly as local fishing lodges draw large numbers of people every summer.

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announced Thursday the use of extraordinary powers to restrict nonresident travel to the archipelago of Haida Gwaii.

“Our foremost concern is the health and safety of all residents of Haida Gwaii, and we’re working together to limit further spread of COVID-19,” Farnworth said in a statement.

All cases in Haida Gwaii are believed to be linked to off-island residents or those who had contact with a local who travelled elsewhere.

Farnworth’s ministry said testing for the islands has been prioritized and results are being received within 36 hours. Accommodations for those who must self-isolate are available if needed for anyone who has tested positive.

Health officials announced 29 new cases in the province, with five people in hospital, two of them in critical care.

No new cases were announced for the

Island Health region, which has had 143 confirmed cases. There are three active known cases in the region. Five deaths have been attributed to the virus, and 135 people have recovered.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said an investigation is ongoing into an outbreak at Fraser Valley Packers in Abbotsford, where 59 cases have now been linked, up from 31 reported on Wednesday.

Henry suggested a surge in COVID19 from crowds gathering in the central Okanagan on Canada Day should serve as a lesson for those getting together for the B.C. Day long weekend.

However, she said British Columbians have listened to concerns about the potential for widespread transmission of the virus and she’s grateful to many residents who rejoined the collective effort to keep COVID-19 rates manageable.

“I want especially to thank young people who have taken this to heart,” Henry said. “I know this is an anxietyprovoking time. It has been a challenge for young people, whether it’s teens or people in their 20s and 30s when we don’t know how long this is going to last.”