June 30 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 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 30, 2021 the current active case count for Ross River remains at five. There were no new confirmed cases in the community on Monday or Tuesday.

At this time, four of the five confirmed cases are self-isolating in Ross River and one community member who tested positive early last week continues to self-isolate in Whitehorse.

Standard testing continues at the Ross River Health Centre this week for anyone who is showing symptoms of COVID-19. 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; and
  • Muscle aches.

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.

Based on the current situation, Council advises that the following COVID-19 safety measures will remain in place this week: 

  • The Dena General Store will be temporarily 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 dena.general@northwestel.net to place your order;
  • 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 are now 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 – Travellers are asked to kindly refrain from visiting Ross River at this time; 
    • ESSENTIAL TRAVEL ONLY – Community members are asked to refrain from travelling to other communities unless it is absolutely essential (i.e. for medical reasons);
  • Ross River Dena Council offices will remain closed to the public until further notice;
  • Ross River Dena Council staff will continue to work from home until further notice; and
  • Ross River Dena Council continues to engage with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the COVID Response Unit and efforts to help strengthen community-level support measures are now advancing.

These measures are being taken in response to the current outbreak in Whitehorse and the presence of COVID-19 in multiple rural 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.

Community Services And Social Assistance

A number of community services have been temporarily interrupted due to the current situation and are now being reviewed to ensure proper COVID-19 safety procedures are in place. Thank you for your understanding as we take these important steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the community. 

Ross River Dena Council teams are now working to review and restore a range of services this week, including:

  • During periods of elevated risk levels resulting from COVID-19, social assistance cheques will been dropped off at Canada Post for pickup. Council advises that beginning this week, cheques will be available for pickup on Wednesday at the Post Office;
  • Trash collection has resumed, however there have been a number of bear sightings over the past week – community members are asked to please manage your waste accordingly and to contact the First Nation and/or a Conservation Officer if you observe bears on your property;
  • A plan to restore adult care services, including meal delivery, laundry and cleaning services is now advancing. Please watch for more information in the coming days; and
  • A plan to re-open the laundromat is now advancing. It is proposed that during periods of elevated risk due to COVID-19, access to the Laundromat will be reserved for adult care services on Tuesdays and Thursdays and will be available for all community members on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays by appointment only. The facility is currently being cleaned. Please watch for more information in the coming days.

Upcoming Vaccination Opportunities 

Adults (18+)

Adults (18 and older) who are interested in receiving the Moderna vaccine are encouraged to contact the Ross River Health Centre at 969-4444 to arrange for a vaccination appointment. Community clinics are organized based on demand, and can be arranged quickly if enough community members express interest. 

Youth (ages 12-17)

The next vaccination opportunity for Ross River youth (ages 12-17) has not yet been announced, but it is expected there will be a follow-up to last week’s clinic in late July. Youth vaccinations are also available in Whitehorse. To book an appointment, please visit the online booking system here.

Ross River COVID-19 Support Line

It is expected that multiple community members will be self-isolating this week and may have questions and/or need assistance with essential tasks such as grocery shopping or laundry. Council has set up the RRDC COVID-19 Support Line for precisely this reason, and it is encouraged that anyone who is in self-isolation please call 747-0099 if you need assistance.

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 much 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 is encouraged to call the LifeWorks Crisis Support Line at 1 (844) 751-2133 at any time 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 this historic public health emergency. If you would like more information about this Working Group or would be interested in volunteering to help keep our community safe, please send an email to the Working Group Co-Chairs Verna Nukon at vernanukon@gmail.com and/or Dylan Loblaw at dylanloblaw@gmail.com. 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