The English River First Nation is now in a 48-hour lockdown. Nine cases of COVID-19 have been detected in that community. The First Nation’s Emergency Management COVID Response Team said that “one or more of those results are a Variant of Concern.”

The lockdown was ordered as of 2 P.M. Thursday to allow health officials time to complete contact tracing.

The First Nation’s Administration Office is closed until further notice.

Gatherings, events and inter-household visits are prohibited, a nightly curfew is in place and a roadside checkpoint has been established.

Citizens are asked to follow all current public health restrictions to help reduce the spread of the virus.

(Photo: Roadside checkpoint for English River First Nation. October 2020. courtesy Facebook.)