Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RICHARD JENKINS
HANCOCK — A person visiting Gogebic County from an urban area has tested positive for COVID-19, the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department announced Tuesday.
Department officials said the person traveled to Gogebic County to visit family before seeking medical treatment locally.
“We must continue to be diligent in our efforts to prevent a large outbreak,” said Kate Beer, the department’s health officer. “I urge you to continue limiting travel and practice good hygiene by washing your hands, staying home if you are ill and thoroughly cleaning commonly touched surfaces.”
The department didn’t release any additional information regarding the person.
The case was temporarily listed on the state coronavirus website as a fifth Gogebic County case because the person sought treatment here, however, the number was back to four as of Wednesday morning.
As of Tuesday, there were also 128 negative tests and 20 pending tests in Gogebic County.
There have been 33 negative tests and six tests pending results in Ontonagon County, where there have been no confirmed positives.
The health department’s five-county service area of Baraga, Gogebic, Ontonagon, Houghton and Keweenaw counties has had seven positive tests, 584 negatives and 79 pending tests as of Tuesday. These numbers include one positive case in Baraga County and two positives in Houghton County. The region’s lone fatality from the virus remains the first Gogebic County case, announced March 26.
The health department continued to urge people to wear face coverings when entering indoor public spaces such as grocery stores and while picking up food from restaurants.
There is no vaccine for COVID-19, meaning the best way to prevent the illness is to avoid exposure.
Symptoms can include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throats, headaches and loss of taste or smell, and can appear two to 14 days after exposure.
The department said people should seek medical attention if they have: trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or bluish lips or face.