No New COVID-19 Cases in Kahnawake in Over a Month
Written by Paul Graif on 29 July 2020
The COVID-19 testing site at the Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre (KMHC) has been busy with close to 100 performed over the last couple of weeks according to Executive Director Lisa Westaway. “As we see rates continue to increase around us. Although we are not experiencing any new cases presently in Kahnawake, or none that we know of from people who have been tested.” Westaway said. “We still have a risk of having new cases in the community and these can multiply very quickly. It’s very important that we maintain the measures we have in place,”
The Testing site at the KMHC will remain open until September at least.
Food drop offs will be permitted for the residents from family members on Sunday’s between 10 AM and 1 PM. “We’re going to combine this new measure with the drop off on Sunday,” Westaway said. “We are opening it up for family members to bring take-out or homemade food in to the drop off. Our workers will make sure to disinfect and make sure that everything is safe when they bring it to your loved ones.”
Visiting will also increase. Beginning on Monday two family members will be allowed to visit their loved ones in their room at KMHC. All infection prevention and control measures will still be in place and visits will continue to be by appointment only.
There is a full Task Force meeting today (Wednesday) in Kahnawake. They will be looking ahead and planning for all possibilities according to Lloyd Phillips, the Commissioner of Public Safety. “Playing a little bit of the what if game.” Phillips said. “Unfortunately, at this point in time we have to. What if there is a second wave? What will it look like? How bad is a second wave going to be? Some people are predicting that it could be worse than the first. Some are predicting it isn’t going to be that bad. We have to look at all these possible scenarios and prepare ourselves for the best-case scenario and but also for the worst-case scenario.”
