Western U.P. sees more than 250 new COVID-19 cases

By ZACHARY MARANO

zmarano@yourdailyglobe.com

HOUGHTON — The Western Upper Peninsula has seen its highest seven-day case count since the Western U.P. Health Department resumed its weekly updates on Aug. 26, according to a release from the health department on Thursday.

There were 273 new COVID-19 cases across the five-county area between Oct. 6 and 13. This includes 38 new cases in Baraga, 86 new cases in Gogebic, 127 cases in Houghton, 10 new cases in Keweenaw and 12 in Ontonagon.

The seven-day case count has been steadily increasing every week. There were 135 new COVID-19 cases in the Sept. 23 briefing, 151 new cases in the Sept. 30 briefing and 192 new cases in the Oct. 7 briefing.

The COVID-19 case rate per 100,000 population for the five counties has also been going up. The case rate was 193.8 in the Sept. 23 briefing, 216.7 in the Sept. 30 briefing, 275.6 in the Oct. 7 briefing and 391.8 in Thursday’s briefing.

For reference, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention considers a case rate of 100 or more per 100,000 population to be a high risk of transmission.

There was one death in Houghton County, bringing the total number of COVID-related deaths in the five counties to 178.

According to the Iron County, Wisconsin, COVID-19 update on Wednesday, there were 13 confirmed cases and one probable case since Oct. 6 in County. The total population who received one dose of the vaccine increased from 58.9% to 59.5% and the total population who completed the series increased from 56.9% to 57.4%.

There were 38 probable or confirmed COVID-19 cases in Bayfield County between Monday and Thursday. According to a release from the Bayfield County Health Department, nearly half of the COVID cases over the past two weeks are breakthrough cases – persons who are fully vaccinated and become ill with COVID-19 despite vaccination.

The COVID vaccines are nevertheless effective at protecting against severe hospitalization and death in breakthrough cases, the release says. The rate of becoming sick, hospitalized or dying of more serious infections is greater in unvaccinated populations than vaccinated populations.

The release says that Bayfield County’s increase in COVID-19 cases is associated with large gatherings and festivals such as Apple Fest, Cable Fall Festival, Red Cliff Cultural Days and Red Clay Classis.