Kahnawake back on Red Alert as COVID-19 cases spread among children under 5
Kahnawake is on Red Alert after active coronavirus cases spiked in recent days, mostly among children aged four to five – a demographic which, in large part, remains unvaccinated.
Four classes have closed across local daycare and preschool Step-by-Step Child and Family Centre and Kateri School, officials say, with more closures possible. At the moment, authorities have recorded 19 active cases, and 60 people remain in isolation.
There may be even more cases which haven’t yet been found, the Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) community’s health officials told CTV News, as the network strains to identify all possible contacts.
“We don’t know the magnitude (of the outbreak) until we get results,” said Natalie Beauvais, executive director of Step by Step.
While children at the daycare are separated by bubbles, “we have siblings and cousins and step-sisters and brothers in other classrooms,” said Beauvais, who spoke to CTV while isolating at home.
“We don’t know what impact there is on other classes,” she said. “We were told by public health that everyone should get into isolation.”
While there have been occasional outbreaks, Kahnawake has been able to avoid widespread infection since the pandemic began, despite being located across the river from Montreal.
“For over the past two months, we’ve been averaging about five (active) cases, give or take,” said Kahnawake Public Safety Commissioner Lloyd Phillips. “We came close to zero last week.”
But since this most-recent outbreak was identified, Phillips says public health is “overwhelmed with the sheer number of contacts” needed to be identified, calling the situation “alarming.”
“Due to a number of cases all at once, we're having a hard time with contact tracing and informing all the people who could be impacted,” he said. “And thereby, you could potentially have somebody who has COVID-19 and doesn't know it, and could be in the community spreading it.”
It’s that fear that prompted the community to declare the Red Alert – the highest level in Kahnawake’s urgency tier.
Under the red alert level, the community council “strongly recommends” social distancing, limiting gatherings to two households at a time, and wearing a mask around people from other households, both inside and out.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Doctors combine a pig kidney transplant and a heart device in a bid to extend woman's life
Doctors have transplanted a pig kidney into a New Jersey woman who was near death, part of a dramatic pair of surgeries that also stabilized her failing heart.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.