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Amid virus, GNWT to send 'additional medical support' to Jean Marie River, says MLA

Visiting Nahanni Butte man died after getting sick, sources say
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Nahendeh MLA Shane Thompson says he has been in regular contact with the NWT Health and Social Services Authority as a mysterious respiratory virus wreaks havoc in Jean Marie River. NNSL file photo

The GNWT is unlikely to send doctors to Jean Marie River, according to Nahendeh MLA Shane Thompson, but will be dispatching a community health nurse to help the small community battle a rapidly-spreading respiratory illness. 

"We don't have a lot of doctors, from my understanding," Thompson said on Jan. 22. "What I can tell you is that the NWTHSSA [Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority] has been working on a plan to get additional medical support into the community this week."

Some residents of Jean Marie River have been battling a mysterious respiratory illness for several weeks. At first, only a few households were stricken with the illness. However, as of Thompson's latest conversation with Tthets’ehk’edeli First Nation Chief Melanie Menacho, who has been calling on the government to send doctors to town, the illness had spread to eight households — a definite cause for alarm in a community of about 70 people. 

One person, a man who was visiting from nearby Nahanni Butte, recently passed away after displaying symptoms of the illness, two sources confirmed to NNSL Media. Another person — the man's partner — was medevaced to Yellowknife for care after falling ill. 

Pamela Horesay, a Jean Marie River First Nation member who is currently living about a 1.5-hour drive away in Fort Simpson, believes tragedy could have been averted had the GNWT been more responsive to the ongoing health crisis. She blames the government's failure to act more promptly on "systemic racism." 

"All I'll say is if they were Caucasian this wouldn't have happened," she said. "These are all Dene people from the region.

"The GNWT is blatantly racist, still carrying that colonizer's mentality."

It is not yet clear which illness is spreading through Jean Marie River. Symptoms include coughing, fatigue and difficulty breathing.

Whatever the illness is, it's proving a challenge for the community. There's no nurse or doctor based in Jean Marie River, and the nearest medical facility is located in Fort Simpson. Thompson is hopeful that by sending medical support to the community, the GNWT will be able to limit the spread of the illness.

Until then, the local health worker will continue to offer whatever support is possible, as will medical professionals in Fort Simpson. 

"The [NWTHSSA] chief operating officer will be contacting the [Jean Marie River] chief directly, ensuring communication with the residents, so that they can get the support staff into the community and work with people and get them checked out," Thompson said. "Until that happens, the community health worker will be continuing talking to residents that show up to the cabin if they have respiratory issues. Then if they need to — as in the last [case] yesterday — they would send them into Fort Simpson to be checked because we have the equipment like X-ray and blood work that can be done there, but cannot be done in the [Jean Marie River] health cabin."

RSV a possibility

When contacted for more information about the situation in Jean Marie River, NWTHSSA spokesperson Krystal Pidborochynski stated that, as of Jan. 22, no respiratory outbreak had been declared in the community. However, she confirmed that the GNWT will be sending a community health nurse from the Fort Simpson Health Centre to offer support.

Pidborochynski also shared information about respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) — "one of the most common respiratory illnesses" — which could be the cause of the health troubles in the community. There are RSV vaccines available for those aged 60 and over, as well as expectant mothers, she noted. 

"RSV vaccination can be provided in the NWT, but it is not currently publicly funded, so it would need to be ordered by a provider and covered by either the individual or their healthcare insurer," she said. "In Jean Marie River, residents can contact the health centre at 867-809-2900 to schedule an appointment to discuss the eligibility and access to RSV vaccinations."

There is no RSV vaccine available for infants, but Pidborochynski noted that there is a new product called Nirsevimab that is intended to protect those under three months of age during RSV season. 

While RSV is one possible cause of the recent health issues in Jean Marie River, it's possible there is another cause, such as influenza, according to Pidborochynski.

Whatever the case, Thompson is encouraging residents with symptoms of the illness to cover their mouths when they cough, wash their hands regularly and wear masks and isolate themselves as needed — as occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic. He also encourages residents to call 811 if they have health questions. 

"It's very important to look after yourself," he said. "You need to follow protocol.

"When the health professionals get there, make sure you get checked out because we're bringing them to help," he added. "Get checked up, find out what it is. If it's only a cold, then at least we know... Better to be safe than sorry." 

During his ongoing correspondence with NWTHSSA, Thompson contends he has been questioning Health and Social Services Minister Lesa Semmler as to how the government can better support communities like Jean Marie River, which do not have robust local healthcare systems. 

"I've passed on a number of questions to the health minister," he said. "What happens when we have communities that don't have a health system or a health centre? How are we going to be able to support these communities when these kinds of outbreaks happen?"



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