Volume 15 | July 10, 2020
FNHMA Health Bulletin: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
This weekly health and wellness bulletin is intended to provide facts, resources for supports and outline potential actions to organizations, communities and their members. Each week the bulletin will include updated information surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In this bulletin you will find news and information regarding:

  • 287 COVID-19 investigations on Alberta First Nation amid jump in cases
  • Guelph company’s mobile COVID-19 test kit hits market and heads for Northern Ontario
  • Coronavirus puts a new spin on Nunavut Day
  • Many Saskatchewan First Nations residents are travelling hours to get coronavirus treatment
  • Prepaid credit cards used for off-reserve First Nations COVID-19 relief cause headaches
  • 93% spike in First Nations overdose deaths recorded in B.C. during COVID-19

See below for more information on these topics.
FNHMA Weekly Virtual Town Hall
Check the FNHMA Facebook Page every Tuesday and Thursday at 1pm to watch the re-runs of our Virtual Town Halls!

To view past Virtual Town Halls Click Here.

Next week join us foir our third and fourth Town Hall.

These town halls originally aired on April 9, 2020 and April 16, 2020.

Topics discussed at these sessions were updates from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and Marion Crowe talked with Indigenous youth organizations We Matter, and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Youth Council, to see what they are doing to support First Nations during COVID-19.
Please note that service hours for InfoPoint have been updated.

InfoPoint will now be available from 9am until 5pm EDT, Monday to Friday.



InfoPoint is your trusted resource to find credible and reliable information on COVID-19.
National and First Nation COVID-19 News
287 COVID-19 Investigations On Alberta First Nation Amid Jump In Cases
 A First Nation east of the city of Calgary has ordered a curfew to be put in place as a result of a spike in suspected COVID-19 cases.

Chief Ouray Crowfoot of the Siksika First Nation made the announcement Friday following a meeting with his council members about the outbreak.

"Based on the information, council has decided to institute a temporary curfew on the nation," Chief Crowfoot said in his statement.

Click Here to read the full article
Guelph Company’s Mobile COVID-19 Test Kit Hits Market And Heads For Northern Ontario
Precision Biomonitoring in Guelph has won Health Canada’s approval to sell a mobile COVID-19 test kit and on Tuesday, became the first company to send out such a kit for use in non-hospital settings.
This week a shipment of the kits, made by U.S. manufacturer Biomeme, went out to mining clients who work in remote Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario and who would typically have to wait up to 10 days to get the results of tests for COVID-19 on employees from a lab.

Click Here to read the full article
Coronavirus Puts A New Spin On Nunavut Day
There were none of the usual events or celebrations Thursday.
Instead Nunavut Day was a quiet affair.
With the government announcing some new programs in lieu of throwing a party.

Click Here to view the whole video
Many Saskatchewan First Nations Residents Are Travelling Hours To Get Coronavirus Treatment
Wanda Wolverine Poorman’s daughter was infected with the novel  coronavirus  in April. According to Poorman, the health centre on the English River First Nation Patuanuk reserve could not provide adequate treatment.

First, her daughter was moved about 175 kilometres to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Île-à-la-Crosse. Then she was airlifted to Saskatoon, 500 kilometres away from the family home.

Click Here to read the full article
Prepaid Credit Cards Used For Off-Reserve First Nations COVID-19 Relief Cause Headaches
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) is distributing prepaid credit cards as COVID-19 relief for off-reserve band members living in Winnipeg, but the cards' high user fees have recipients questioning their worth.
The emergency funds being distributed by the AMC are from the $15 million in relief for First Nations people living off-reserve announced by the federal government in March. ​​​
Judie Parenteau is Anishinaabe from Skownan First Nation and received her prepaid Visa card in the mail on Thursday.

Click Here to read the full article
Total Number of First Nations Confirmed Cases In Canada As Of July 10
As of July 3, 2020, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) records indicate that there are over 225 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on First Nations reserves, in five provinces. For more information on these numbers and for more information on how to keep your family safe, please click here.

Click Here  to see the full Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak update page.
93% Spike In First Nations Overdose Deaths Recorded In B.C. During COVID-19
New data from B.C.'s First Nations Health Authority shows that overdose deaths among First Nations people have surged dramatically and disproportionately in the province during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
"When I talk about these numbers, I'm talking about people," said Dr. Shannon McDonald, acting chief medical officer with the First Nations Health Authority, during a news conference on Monday.

Click Here to read the full article
Accessing Additional Support Funds
COVID-19: First Nations Community Guide on Accessing Additional Supports
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is working closely with First Nations partners, the Public Health Agency of Canada, other departments such as Health Canada and Public Safety Canada as well as provincial and territorial counterparts to protect the health and safety of First Nations and support First Nations communities in responding to the public health crisis resulting from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Click Here to read the full First Nations community guide on accessing additional supports
Previous Health Bulletins
If you missed or would like to see any of our weekly health bulletins, we have included a link to all of our previous volumes.

Click Here to see all previous Health and Wellness Bulletins.

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Supports & Regularly Updated Resources
The following organizations have resources to combat COVID-19. These resources are regualrly updated and are available to view at any time.

Please click below to be directed to more information.
FNHMA Updates
Notice of External Job Opportunities

FNHMA has a number of external job opportunities that can be viewed at the link below! 


IMPORTANT NOTICE for FNHMA Working Hours

FNHMA working hours have changed for the summer season.

Effective immediatley, FNHMA staff will be working summer hours on Fridays.

FNHMA staff members will finish the work day at 12pm EDT, but will be available by email.
Important Notice for Intensive Course Schedule

For the safety of all participants and FNHMA staff all intensive courses are postponed until further notice .

Notice for Online Courses

Online courses will continue to be offered.

To register please contact Eva Keeshig at eva.keeshig@fnhma.ca
FNHMA staff are working from home and are available by email during this time.

For access to the staff directory visit https://fnhma.ca/contact-us/ or call
(613) 599-6070.

We are committed to providing the most up to date information and supporting our membership during this difficult time.

DID YOU KNOW?

FNHMA as well as Indigenous Health Today have a number of resources available online relating to COVID-19 awareness and prevention.

Click here to view the resource page on the FNHMA Website.

Click here to view the Inidgenous Health Today website.


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