First Nation officials say more needs to be done after two people died in the past week in a small northeastern community from the flu.
Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Grand Chief David Harper told CTV News that two men from Garden Hill First Nation died from the flu.
"We have two deaths (of) a common flu," said Harper. A third person was flown to hospital in Winnipeg in critical condition, he said.
The Garden Hill First Nation is a small community of about 4,000 people. It has one doctor, a small nursing station and no hospital.
About 20 others in the community have been coughing up blood, said Harper.
Last year, three people died from H1N1 in the community.
Harper wonders if the current illness could be something more than just the common flu.
Both federal and provincial health officials, however, said the virus affecting the First Nation is not a new pathogen or the H1N1 virus.
They said it is the seasonal strain of influenza.
"We don't have any evidence at this time that we're dealing with a pandemic or a new virus," said Dr. Joel Kettner.
Dr. Kettner said issues such as poor housing conditions and nutrition can make people more susceptible to the seasonal flu.
First Nations leaders are also concerned about that as well, with some voicing worries about the potential spread of the illness because of crowded quarters from a housing shortage.
Chief Harper is calling on the federal government to provide more medical resources as soon as possible.
The federal government said is will help. It promised Friday to provide additional immunization activities, along with more medical supplies for nursing stations.
- with a report from CTV's Jon Hendricks
