Vancouver Island First Nation office closed after suspected contact with COVID-19

The Pauquachin First Nation administration office in North Saanich will be closed while staff self-isolate. (CTV News)

Victoria — Staff at a Vancouver Island First Nation government office are in self-isolation after a community member was exposed to someone with a suspected case of the novel coronavirus.

The Pauquachin First Nation office in North Saanich will be closed for the next 14 days while staff stay home.

Pauquachin Chief Rebecca David tells CTV News the band government is telling all community members to reduce outings in the community to a minimum while administrators await the results of COVID-19 testing.

Pauquachin administrator Susan Miller told CTV News that a community member was exposed to someone outside the Pauquachin community with a suspected case of COVID-19.

That community member was in turn in contact with office staff in the past 24 hours, Miller said Thursday.

David said the community member is an employee of Seaspan in the Esquimalt Harbour. The company told CTV News it has "no confirmed COVID-19 case amon Seaspan employees."

"As soon as we hear from Seaspan in terms of the test results, we will again update the community," David said.

"Maybe it will be a sigh of relief, I'm praying that it will be. But at this time, these are the precautions we're taking to move things forward," she added.

In the meantime, Miller said the First nation is asking its members to "remain cautious and not be in contact with members or staff who are in self-isolation."