Fourth positive Gogebic County case reported

HANCOCK — A fourth positive case of coronavirus in Gogebic County has been reported, the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department said.

A total of 73 cases have been referred for testing in Gogebic County, according to the health department’s latest testing numbers released Friday, with 55 negatives, four positives, two cancelled tests and 12 tests still pending.

The fourth positive in the county brings the total number of positives in the five-county region the health department serves to five, with the death of an elderly Gogebic County man reported on March 26 still the region’s only fatality related to the virus. The fatality is included in the county’s four positive cases.

Outside of Gogebic County, the lone confirmed positive has been a case in Houghton County.

The Western U.P. Health Department serves Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties.

A total of 254 cases have been referred for testing in those counties, according to Friday’s update, with 193 negatives and 38 pending tests.

Eighteen of the 254 tests have been canceled; which, according to the update, can happen for a variety of reasons -- such as the diagnosis of a different illness using other diagnostic procedures.

A total of 18 cases have been referred for testing in Ontonagon County, with 13 negatives, two canceled tests and three pending tests.

—Richard Jenkins