Northern Indigenous communities in Sask. have twice as many active COVID-19 cases, data shows
CBC
First Nation communities in the northern part of Saskatchewan are fighting an uphill battle against COVID-19 that has led to significantly higher case and death counts than the rest of the province.
There are about 364 active cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in all of Saskatchewan — often referred to as the rate of active cases — as of Saturday. These include the active cases in First Nation communities located in northern Saskatchewan.
In comparison, the rate of active cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 in northern First Nation communities alone is about 716 as of Saturday — nearly twice as high as the rate for the province as a whole.
To find this information, CBC used federal data that showed the population of Indigenous people as registered as status Indians who lived on their reserve, another reserve or on Crown land within the 33 communities located in the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority.
This method does not include those who live in the community and aren't registered, or may have not been unregistered after death, but it is the most accurate number available.
"We do know that the burden of illness appears to be higher in northern communities compared to any other part of the province," explained Dr. Nnamdi Ndubuka, medical health officer for the health authority, in mid-September.
Issues of overcrowding, access to health care and lack of isolation spaces are "obvious" explanations for the effect COVID-19 has had on northern communities, he said.