Iron County reports 2 new COVID cases

By RICHARD JENKINS

rjenkins@yourdailyglobe.com

Hurley — Two more people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in Iron County, Iron County Health Department officials announced Friday.

The announcement comes one day after local officials announced the county's third case. However, according to Friday's announcement, they aren't linked to previous confirmed cases in the county.

“The individuals are in isolation and connected to each other, no further information is being released to protect the individuals' privacy,” a health department official said in the announcement. “County health officials are investigating and assessing other individuals in close contact with the individuals.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines cited in the announcement, close contact is considered, “Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before illness onset until the time the patient is isolated.”

Anyone who does have close contact with an infected person should maintain quarantine at home, continue to practice social distancing and self-monitor for symptoms until 14 days from the last date of exposure, according to the health department.

The two cases Friday bring Iron County's total to five. Prior to the cases this week, the last confirmed case in Iron County connected to the coronavirus pandemic was in April.

The first case, which is also the county's lone death related to the pandemic, was announced March 26.

As of early afternoon Friday, the by-county breakdown on Wisconsin's coronavirus website showed a total of 26,227 cases and 766 deaths statewide — however, the number of cases listed on the state site for Iron County remained at two, despite the chart listing the data as of Thursday.

As there is still no vaccine for the virus, the Iron County Health Department shared a variety of prevention strategies designed to halt the spread of the virus. These included limiting contacts to a small circle of individuals, maintaining at least six feet of distance and less than 15 minutes of exposure to those outside that social circle, frequent hand washing and disinfecting of surfaces, covering the face when coughing and sneezing, avoiding touching the face, staying home when sick and practicing social distancing.

The health department also said it would be posting information on its Facebook page or website Monday through Friday regarding daily case data.

For the latest information on the virus, visit the CDC's website, the Department of Human Services' website, the health department's Facebook page or ironcountypublichealth.org.