COVID-19 in Indigenous communities: What you need to know
CBC
While the number of active cases of COVID-19 in First Nations and Inuit communities is trending downward, new infections persist.
According to the latest data from Indigenous Services Canada, there were 1,132 active cases of the virus reported in First Nations as of Nov. 15. It represents a rate of reported active cases 4.3 times the respective rate in the general Canadian population.
The majority of new infections in First Nations occurred in Manitoba and British Columbia. Outbreaks have also occurred in New Brunswick, where cases on-reserve had been minimal before.
According to the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, there were 28 new cases as of Nov. 15 bringing the total of active cases to 219 in Inuit communities in northern Quebec. The majority of active cases are in Akulivik and Salluit.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 48,855 cases in First Nations communities. Over the last week, 10 First Nations people living on-reserve died from the virus, bringing the number of deaths to 518. Total hospitalizations also increased to 2,289 from 2,237. There have been 47, 205 recovered cases to date.
Total cases in First Nations communities per region reported as of Nov. 15:
A total of 837,958 vaccine doses have been administered to individuals aged 12 years and older in 687 First Nations and Inuit communities as of Nov. 9. Of that number, 371,810 were second doses.
Several regions have also begun offering third doses of the vaccine on First Nations or to elders over a specific age, however no data on third doses is available through Indigenous Services Canada to date.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
If you think you might have COVID-19, please consult your local health department to book an appointment at a screening clinic.
Muddy footprints left on a Kenyan lakeside suggest two of our early human ancestors were nearby neighbours some 1.5 million years ago.
Fewer people are being diagnosed with and dying of HIV/AIDS around the world. But progress is uneven, and only a few countries are on track to meet global targets set by the United Nations to end HIV as a public health threat by 2030, suggests a new study from The Lancet HIV medical journal.