Northern Manitoba COVID-19 patients being treated at Winnipeg care home

Holy family Personal Care Home (CTV News Photo Glenn Pismenny)

WINNIPEG — Residents of a remote northern Manitoba community who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 have been flown to Winnipeg to stay in a personal care home.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Manitoba’s First Nations Pandemic Response Team have confirmed residents of Bunibonibee Cree Nation Personal Care Home have been flown to Winnipeg for care at the Holy Family Care Home. Staff from the personal care home have also come to Winnipeg to help out with the residents.”

“Nine residents of Bunibonibee Cree Nation arrived in Winnipeg last evening and we are expecting an additional three residents coming in today,” a WRHA spokesperson said Friday.

“There are a total of 6 staff (nurses and health care aides) who accompanied the residents. They will provide care and supports for residents during their time in Winnipeg.”

All residents and staff are cohorted in a separate unit, and are following the infection prevention and control guidelines created by Shared Health the WRHA said. Holy Family is providing accommodation and meals, while all other supports are being provided by the care home staff from Bunibonibee, as well as the WRHA.

Marcia Anderson with the Pandemic Response Team said on Friday during a daily First Nations COVID-19 briefing that she was amazed at how both agencies worked together to help the residents.

“Everybody worked together to find a creative solution to really support the safety and ongoing care of those residents, and how everybody put the resources they had available, again, to work with Chief (Richard) Hart, and support those residents,” she said.

The WRHA said the goal is to have residents and staff from Bunibonibee return to their home community as soon as the outbreak ends, but will ensure their care and safety during their Winnipeg stay.

The province said there are 143 COVID-19 cases in the community.