August 6 COVID-19 Update

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Current COVID-19 Situation in Ross River  

Ross River Dena Council advises all community members that as of 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 6, 2021 there is a new confirmed case of COVID-19 in Ross River, increasing the number of active cases involving members of our community to two.

The new case is a community member who was in close contact with a previous case. Both active cases are now self-isolating, one in Ross River and one in Whitehorse. Contact tracing is under way.

Council is aware that a number of community members were seen entering the home of the individual who is now a confirmed positive case. Anyone who entered the home over the past 72 hours is now considered to be a direct contact and should immediately self-isolate.

If you know of any individuals who may have entered the home of someone who was in self-isolation, please contact the Ross River COVID-19 Support Line at 747-0099.

If you or someone you know recently visited with an individual who is in self-isolation, please call the Health Centre at 969-4444 for guidance. Every situation is different and a lot depends on whether or not the visitor is fully vaccinated. 

It will be very important for those who may have been exposed to get in touch with the Health Centre and to begin self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19 in the days ahead.

Symptoms include:  

  • Fever/chills 
  • Cough 
  • Shortness of breath 
  • Runny nose 
  • Sore throat 
  • Headache 
  • Loss of sense of taste or smell 
  • Fatigue 
  • Nausea and vomiting 
  • Loss of appetite 
  • Diarrhea 
  • Muscle aches 

Anyone experiencing symptoms is asked to self-isolate immediately and contact the Health Centre at 969-4444 to arrange for a COVID-19 test.

Contact Tracing Under Way

Contact tracing is organized by the Yukon Centre for Disease Control (YCDC) in Whitehorse and involves reaching out to those who were in direct contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. If you are contacted, a representative of YCDC will play an instrumental role to guide you on next steps and will offer important advice and support for your situation.

Please Take Precautions This Weekend

Based on the current situation, Council is asking community members to take extra precautions this weekend. Please avoid gatherings, avoid visiting with others and avoid high-risk behaviour in the days ahead. This is extremely important to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

Council also reminds everyone that it is extremely important to avoid contact with individuals who are in self-isolation. Anyone who enters the home of an individual in self-isolation is at risk of infection, which could lead to transmission and sickness in our community.

Those who wish to visit, please stay outside and communicate from a distance. Those who wish to drop off food, Council asks that you please leave the food at the door, rather than entering rooms that may (or may not) have COVID-19 present. It’s just not worth the risk.

Neighbouring Communities Update

Council is also closely monitoring the situation in Watson Lake/Lower Post which is now improving. According to the Government of Yukon’s COVID-19 Case Count by Community, Watson Lake/Lower Post has 12 confirmed cases though there are reports of higher case counts due to delays in the processing of data.

This particular outbreak has been very concerning due to the volume of non-essential travel observed between Watson Lake/Lower Post, Ross River and other neighbouring communities in recent weeks. Council advises that while essential travel (i.e. for medical reasons) is reasonable during the current outbreak, non-essential travel poses an extreme risk to the well-being of our elders, our families and our entire community.  

Council is also aware of multiple positive cases in Faro and Carmacks, and encourages anyone who is planning to visit friends or family members in these communities that this does not respect our current travel advisory. Please do not visit other communities at this time unless it is for medical reasons.  

Continue to Wear A Mask In Ross River

As of July 30, Ross River continues to have the lowest vaccination rate in Yukon, with less than 45% of our population fully vaccinated, and 11% partially vaccinated. In addition, there are multiple neighbouring communities with positive cases, and COVID-19 is also present in Ross River.

Without question, it has taken our community longer than other communities to reach a 45% vaccination rate, and a number of essential safety measures that were in place for other communities when they reached 45% are no longer in place today. That said, the territorial vaccination rate does offer some protection to Ross River, and helps to lower the risk of transmission to some degree.

Still, because over 50% of our population is still very vulnerable, it will be up to all community members to remain diligent, and work together with all Yukoners to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Ross River and across rural Yukon.

With this in mind, Council is asking all community members, construction crews and those who enter our community to please follow the local safety measures. 

While is Ross River please continue to:

  • Wear a Mask
  • Wash Your Hands
  • Stay 6 Feet Apart
  • Do Not Visit Others
  • Self-Isolate After Travel if Unvaccinated

Travel Advisory – Do Not Visit Ross River At This Time

We can all help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by following travel advisories that have been put in place by Yukon First Nations and municipalities.

With the current outbreak impacting families in Watson Lake, Carmacks and Faro, Council is asking Yukoners and travellers from outside of the territory to please continue to respect the travel advisory for Ross River, which reads as follows:   

  • NO VISITORS – Please do not visit Ross River at this time;  
  • ROSS RIVER CITIZENS: ESSENTIAL TRAVEL ONLY – Ross River citizens are asked to respect all travel advisories currently in effect and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our neighbouring communities of Watson Lake, Faro and Carmacks. Please refrain from travelling to these communities unless it is absolutely necessary (i.e. for medical reasons) 

Please visit the Council of Yukon First Nations website for more information about current travel advisories.

Current Risk Level 5 (Extreme)  

As of July 30, Ross River continues to have the lowest vaccination rate in Yukon, with approximately 45% of our population now fully vaccinated. In addition, there are multiple neighbouring communities with positive cases, and COVID-19 is also present in Ross River. For this reason, the current COVID-19 Risk Level for Ross River remains at Level 5 (Extreme) and the following COVID-19 safety measures remain in effect:  

  • The Dena General Store will be closed to the public, however community members can place an order for pickup or delivery of groceries to your door – please call 969-2280 and/or send an email to [email protected] to place your order; 
  • The Dena General Store will now be closed on Sundays and Tuesdays for cleaning and other necessary measures; 
  • Tu-Lidlini Petroleum advises that the gas station will have reduced hours from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. until further notice and that customers are strongly encouraged to use the Cardlock system to pay for fuel; 
  • Banking services will be available at the Dena General Store on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. – services are provided at the door, as the store is currently closed to the public. 
  • The following travel advisory is now in effect:  
    • NO VISITORS – Please do not visit Ross River at this time;  
    • ROSS RIVER CITIZENS: ESSENTIAL TRAVEL ONLY – Ross River citizens are asked to respect all travel advisories currently in effect and to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our neighbouring communities of Watson Lake, Faro and Carmacks. Please refrain from travelling to these communities unless it is absolutely necessary (i.e. for medical reasons) Ross River Dena Council offices will remain closed to the public until further notice; 
  • Ross River Dena Council employees are now in the first phase of a three-phase Re-Opening Plan, which allows access to up to three staff members into RRDC buildings at one time; Ross River Dena Council will continue to engage with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Department of Health and Social Services and the COVID Response Unit to help strengthen community-level support. 

These measures were introduced in response to the outbreak in Whitehorse and the presence of COVID-19 in multiple communities, including Ross River. Council continues to work with territorial health authorities and our neighbouring communities to monitor the situation and takes this matter very seriously. 

Reporting High-Risk Behaviour

To help support the re-opening plan and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community, Council is asking all community members to please be on the lookout for high-risk behaviour and to report individuals who are not following the Civil Emergency Measures Act by calling (867) 393-6210 or by filling out the online form.

High-risk behaviour consists of any activity that is not in accordance with current COVID-19 guidelines and/or the current safety measures put in place by Council to help keep Ross River safe. 

Examples of high-risk behaviour include:

  • Not following the Safe 6+1;
  • Participating in social gatherings that are outside of your bubble and involve more than six people;
  • Travelling to and from other communities for non-essential purposes;
  • Not wearing a mask while in close proximity to others;
  • Overcrowded vehicles and passengers are not wearing masks to protect one another; and
  • Visiting houses even when there is a sign on the door that says no visitors.

Not Feeling Well? Get Tested

Community members are reminded that if you are feeling sick – even with mild symptoms – it is important to immediately self-isolate and contact the Health Centre at 969-4444 to arrange for a test. Do not visit with others and do not come directly to the Health Centre, please call first.  

Symptoms include:

  • Fever/chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Runny nose
  • Sore throat
  • Headache
  • Loss of sense of taste or smell
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Diarrhea
  • Muscle aches

Other COVID-19 Considerations

Council recognizes that as part of the new normal, outbreaks may occur in Whitehorse and/or rural communities in the weeks and months ahead. When an outbreak occurs, Council asks that everyone remain calm, continue to follow the Safe 6+1 and that we all work together to help protect vulnerable community members during these difficult times.

Here are some additional considerations and resources to help keep Ross River safe:

  • If you or someone you know had really mild symptoms and recently tested negative for COVID-19 this is good news, however it is not the end of the story. If symptoms get worse in the days (and weeks) following a test, it’s a good idea to self-isolate and call the Health Centre at 969-4444 to arrange for another test – when it comes to COVID-19, it’s way better to be safe than sorry;
  • For the latest COVID-19 Self-Isolation Guidelines: https://yukon.ca/en/self-isolation-covid-19;
  • If you see someone who was known to be self-isolating but may not be following the current the self-isolation guidelines, you can report this activity here;
  • If you live with others and are not able to self-isolate, please inform the Health Centre or Ross River Dena Council and efforts will be made to arrange for temporary self-isolation options; and
  • Anyone seeking mental health and wellness support are encouraged to call the LifeWorks Crisis Support Line at 1-844-751-2133 (open 24 hours, 7 days a week) or call (867) 332-5468 to reach the Mental Health, Counselling and Crisis Support Line for Ross River, Pelly Crossing, Carmacks and Faro citizens.

Volunteers Needed

Ross River Dena Council has established the RRDC COVID-19 Action Plan Working Group to advise Council and help coordinate COVID-19 community outreach and support efforts during an unprecedented public health emergency. For more information about the Working Group or if you would like to volunteer and help make a difference, please send an email to the Working Group Co-Chairs Verna Nukon at [email protected] and/or Dylan Loblaw at [email protected]. You can also reach us by calling the Ross River COVID-19 Support Line at 747-0099 at any time. 

Thank you,

Ross River Dena Council