'Hitting us really hard': Sask. First Nation moves into lockdown due to COVID-19 outbreak
A growing COVID-19 outbreak in a northern Saskatchewan First Nation with where vaccination rates remain low has prompted the community to move into a lockdown.
Black Lake First Nation will remain in lockdown until Aug. 5, a letter from chief and council shared with community members said.
"We have had Black Lake community members medevaced south because of this virus," said the letter which outlines a series of public health measures and closures.
During the lockdown there will be strictly limited access to facilities, travel is discouraged and community members are being advised to stay at home.
Residents have been provided with colour-coded signs to display to let neighbours know how they are doing and if assistance is required.
CASES SPIKE
According to an Athabasca Health Authority (AHA) report obtained by CTV News, there were 28 active cases in the region it serves as of Monday.
That's up from just a single recorded active case seven days earlier on July 13.
Nearly 95 per cent of all active cases in the area served by the AHA — which includes Fond Du Lac, Uranium City and Stony Rapids — have been identified in Black Lake, according to the report. An outbreak was declared in the community on July 23.
According to the AHA document, just 1 in 7 people are fully vaccinated in Black Lake, a community of more than 1,600.
At least six of the cases have resulted from the highly contagious Delta variant COVID-19 strain, the report said.
While the majority of cases are in adults, some of the cases have been identified in children, according to the report.
"It is noteworthy to say that some positive cases have been fully vaccinated," AHA primary healthcare executive director Taiwo Olubanwo, writes in the report.
While it is possible to develop COVID-19 if fully vaccinated, the chances of developing severe illness or dying is greatly reduced.
"Noticeably is the extremely low rate of the number of individuals who have been fully vaccinated with COVID-19 in Black Lake compared to other AHA communities," Olubanwo writes.
In a message to the community included in the report, Olubanwo applauds the move to restrict travel as part of Black Lake's lockdown measures.
The letter from the First Nation's leadership encourages community members to get vaccinated, follow health protocols and self-quarantine if diagnosed with COVID-19.
"The fourth wave is hitting of this COVID-19 has caught us off guard … and is hitting us really hard right now. If we work hard and follow the guidelines, then we will beat it."
The letter also said northern leaders are working on getting food and cleaning supplies delivered from the south.
Correction
A previous version listed the total number of active COVID-19 cases in the AHA region as the total number of cases for Black Lake.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Wildfire smoke from Canada disrupts New York flights
Some flights into the New York City area on Wednesday were delayed and some briefly halted because of reduced visibility from wildfire smoke from Canada.

WATCH | Rate hike 'may be the last straw' for some homeowners: mortgage broker
With the latest hike bringing Canada's key interest rates to levels not seen since 2001, one mortgage broker is warning that it may be 'the last straw' for some homeowners with variable mortgages.
Bank of Canada ends pause on hikes, raises policy rate by 25 basis points
The Bank of Canada raised its overnight rate by 25 basis points to 4.75 per cent on Wednesday, its first increase since pausing hikes in January.
Wrestling icon The Iron Sheik dead at 81
World Wrestling Entertainment legend The Iron Sheik has died. He was 81.
opinion | Eight takeaways from Prince Harry's seven hours on the witness stand
It's been a busy, tumultuous few days for Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex as he took his place on the witness stand in his trial against the Mirror Group Newspapers. Here are royal commentator Afua Hagan's top takeaways from his two-day grilling.
Have rising home prices driven you to leave Canada? We want to hear from you
The Bank of Canada's latest decision to raise its key interest rate comes at a time when many are struggling to afford their homes. CTVNews.ca wants to hear from people in Canada who are going to great lengths to find affordable housing.
Wildfire smoke blankets Ontario, Quebec, air quality plummets, affects activities
Poor air quality is forecast to persist into the weekend across parts of Ontario, as plumes of wildfire smoke blanket the province and prompt school boards to limit outdoor activities.
Calgary mass killer Matthew de Grood seeks 'absolute discharge'
The man who was found not criminally responsible in the stabbing deaths of five people at a house party in Brentwood more than nine years ago is seeking more freedoms.
Canadians want revenge on Bernardo, but that's not how prison works: ex-official
One of the architects of the law that governs Canada's prison system says it's understandable people want revenge on killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo, but that's not what the prison system is designed for.