Confirmed cases of COVID-19 On First Nations reserves, as of January 26 Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is aware of

Press Release

Confirmed cases posted on this page reflect only the COVID-19 testing results reported to Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). Because of home testing and individuals choosing not to get tested, these numbers are an underestimation of all positive COVID-19 cases in First Nations communities.

On First Nations reserves, as of January 26 Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is aware of:

  • 70,482 confirmed positive COVID-19
  • 5,509 active cases
  • 2,585 hospitalizations
  • 64,374 recovered cases
  • 599 deaths

Case numbers per region:

  • British Columbia 7,384
  • Alberta: 16,912
  • Saskatchewan: 14,803
  • Manitoba: 16,916
  • Ontario: 7,628
  • Quebec: 5,417
  • Atlantic: 1,422

Since the beginning of the pandemic, ISC is aware of 20,620 COVID-19 confirmed cases due to variants of concern in First Nations communities, with the following breakdown by type:

  • 3,145 alpha
  • 16 beta
  • 163 gamma
  • 8,278 delta
  • 2,167 indeterminate with variant of concern traits
  • 6,851 omicron

4,387 omicron cases are in First Nations communities in Eastern Canada and 2,464 cases are in First Nations communities in Western Canada. Omicron has been detected in a total of 121 First Nations communities.

For breakdowns for general population in Canada consult Variants of concern.

Provincial chief public health officers work with ISC’s regional medical officers and nurses to provide medical support as needed when a positive case is reported.

As of January 18:

  • the rate of reported active cases of COVID-19 in First Nations people living on-reserve was going down since mid-January 2021 and reached its lowest point during the first week of August at 84.2 cases per 100,000. Since then, it started to rise again, especially after arrival of omicron in Canada, and is currently 1,174.6 per 100,000 or 1.3 times the respective rate in the general Canadian population
  • the COVID-19 case fatality rate among First Nations people living on a reserve is 82% of the case fatality rate in the general Canadian population
  • 91% of First Nations people living on a reserve who tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered

For more details on case numbers in First Nations communities, visit:

For the total number of confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 across Canada, visit:

For the case notification process:

IHT5

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