Michigan to post school outbreak information

By RICHARD JENKINS

rjenkins@yourdailyglobe.com

LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services began reporting outbreak information for schools across the state Monday.

“Parents and students should know that if their school is listed, their local health department and school are already investigating. Based on that investigation, people are contacted individually if they were possibly exposed to COVID-19 at school,” Dr. Joneigh Khaldun said in the announcement. Khaldun is the chief medical executive and chief deputy for health for the MDHHS. “Michigan schools are working hard to maintain a safe environment while also providing quality education.”

The data about any future COVID-19 outbreaks is coming from 45 local health departments around the state, according to the announcement. This includes the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department, WUPHD health officer Kate Beer told the Daily Globe.

Beer said her department is continuing to work with districts in the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District to help combat the ongoing pandemic as students return to schools this fall.

“Our partnership with the GOISD remains strong,” Beer said. “We currently meet weekly with the superintendents to discuss any concerns that they have and share new information.”

Ironwood Superintendent Travis Powell said the district is continuing to work with the WUPHD and that the weekly meetings were beneficial.

The health department will likely take the lead when it comes to notifications of any individual cases, however, the district is prepared to play a bigger role responding and communicating with families if needed during a larger outbreak.

“We hope it doesn’t become necessary, but should we need to go to remote instruction we’re ready,” Powell said.

The state website reporting school outbreaks considers an outbreak to be, “Two or more cases with a link by place and time indicating a shared exposure outside of a household,” according to the state’s announcement.

Information on any outbreaks will be posted on the state’s coronavirus website each Monday at 3 p.m., according to the announcement, and include the school or college name; address; number of cases and whether they involved students, staff or both.

State officials warn the system may not be comprehensive, as students or staff exposed to COVID-19 outside the school building and not believed to have spread it in the school won’t be included.

Other factors listed in the announcement that could lead to the underreporting of outbreaks includes the inability to effectively conduct contact tracing in certain settings.

“The absence of identified outbreaks in a school does not mean it is not experiencing an outbreak,” a spokesperson said in the announcement.

As of Monday, Gogebic County had a cumulative total of 140 positive cases and 12 probables, according to data from the WUPHD, with all but four of those considered recovered or non-active. Ontonagon County has had a total of 38 positives and one probable, with only two of the positive and probable cases being considered active.

The two counties are part of the five-county total of 372 positives and 59 probables — 66 of which are considered active — in the region the WUPHD serves.

In Wisconsin, Iron County reported a cumulative total of 136 positive residents as of Monday, with 117 considered recovered.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues into flu season, Iron County health officials are encouraging residents to get their flu shots. The health department has organized several drive-thru clinics to help with the effort. Upcoming clinics include one 2-4 p.m., on Sept. 23 at the Iron County Highway Garage in Hurley and from 10 a.m. to noon on Sept. 29 at the Mercer Community Center. The department is also expected to announce additional dates in October.

Elsewhere in Wisconsin, Bayfield County issued a public health order limiting public gatherings in the county to less than 100 people earlier this month. The order took effect Sept. 5 and expires Dec. 4.

The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has reported additional positive COVID-19 cases in their community after a testing event this weekend, according to a news release on the tribe’s Facebook page. Tribal leadership issued a “shelter at home” order for residents on the reservation last week and identified several possible exposure sites in the region. These include the Deep Water Grille from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 4, Scott N Ar’s from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 4, Airport Inn from 10 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 5 and Scott N Ar’s from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 5.