The Village of Alert Bay has declared a state of emergency due to a COVID-19 cluster outbreak.

After last week’s announcement that Alert Bay Mayor Dennis Buchanan had tested positive for the novel Coronavirus, which was the first publicly confirmed case in the Northern Vancouver Island area, more cases of COVID-19 in the Village of Alert Bay have come to light and forced the local governments on Cormorant Island to take strict action to combat the spread of the outbreak.

“On April 18, 2020, the Village of Alert Bay declared a Local State of Emergency due to the existing COVID19 pandemic cluster on Cormorant Island,” stated a news release from the Village of Alert Bay. “The Village is working with ‘Namgis First Nation and the Whe-La-La-U Area Council within the Emergency Operations Centre to introduce measures to curtail the transmission of COVID19 on Cormorant Island.”

The Village of Alert Bay, the ‘Namgis First Nation, and the Whe-La-La-U Area Council Society, who all reside on Cormorant Island, issued another news release stating that “In response to the reality of positive COVID-19 cases on our island, we need to take additional measures to control the spread of the virus to protect everyone. We are also working together to put in place additional supports, such as spaces where an infected person can safely isolate.”

The release stated there will be a curfew put in place from 9:30 P.M. to 6:00 A.M.

“You will hear an alarm at 9:00 to give you time to return to your home,” noted the release.

Also, the release added that it is “very important that Cormorant Island residents do not contribute to the spread of this virus, or be exposed to the virus, off-island. We are working with Public Health officials and relevant Provincial agencies on measures to reinforce the importance of only leaving or coming to this island for essential reasons.”

@NIGazette

editor@northislandgazette.com

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