37 COVID-19 cases among Squamish Nation members

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new figures for active cases since first posting.

The total number of COVID-19 cases among members of the Squamish Nation continues to rise.

The nation reported Tuesday evening that the total number of cases involved in the current community outbreak has risen to 37 cases. That’s up from a previous 26 cases reported before the Labour Day long weekend.

At the same time, 27 of those people who tested positive at the beginning of the local outbreak have now been cleared from isolation because they are no longer considered infectious, said Squamish Nation Councillor Chris Lewis.

Ten of those cases are still considered active.

In his video address, Lewis thanked the Squamish Nation members who have been in isolation – and those who have been helping them – for their resilience. “We want to acknowledge it’s not easy for each and every one of us,” he said, adding, “We need to be diligent as a nation. We all need to do our part to flatten the curve in our community.”

A number of other B.C. First Nations, including the Haida – which recently came through their own outbreak of COVID-19 – and the Musqueam, have written to offer support and solidarity, said Lewis.

The cluster of cases among Squamish Nation members on the North Shore is happening at the same time that the Tla’amin Nation near Powell River declared a state of emergency and put a 72-hour lockdown in place this week after being notified of four lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 and a number of other citizens experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.