Western UP COVID-19 cases increase by almost half

By ZACHARY MARANO

zmarano@yourdailyglobe.com

HANCOCK — COVID-19 cases in the western U.P. increased by 47% in the past week, according to an update from the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department on Thursday. This update reported 170 new cases and one death, an increase from 90 new cases and one death on July 5.

Eighty-three of these new cases were in Houghton County, 56 new cases were in Gogebic, 16 new cases were in Baraga, eight were in Ontonagon and seven were in Keweenaw. The one death occurred in Gogebic County.

As of Thursday, the case rates per 100,000 population were 353.9 in Gogebic County, 318.5 in Keweenaw, 226.4 in Houghton, 184.1 in Baraga and 127 in Ontonagon, for a total case rate of 244 cases per 100,000 people in the western U.P.

By Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measurements, Gogebic County has a medium COVID-19 community level. Community levels are based on the rate of new cases per 100,000 people, the new admissions per 100,000 population and the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients in the past seven days.

The CDC recommends that high-risk individuals take additional precautions at medium community levels. The other four counties have low COVID-19 community levels, but the CDC recommends that all people stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms at all levels.

According to the WUPHD’s overall vaccine statistics, 49.9% of people in Baraga County, 57.8% of people in Gogebic, 54.2% of people in Houghton, 62.5% of people in Keweenaw and 66.1% of people in Ontonagon have received the initial vaccine. These percentages have decreased from the previous week because they were updated to include ages six months and older.

The COVID-19 dashboard on michigan.gov says that 67.6% of Michigan residents have received the first dose of the vaccine as of July 12.

The Iron County, Wisconsin health department posted a COVID-19 data summary on their website on Friday. According to this summary, there have been 28 new COVID-19 cases in Iron County since July 1. At-home tests are not reported in the county case count.

As of Friday, Iron County has a high COVID-19 community level. The Iron County Health Department says that when community transmission levels are high, all people should wear a mask indoors in public, stay up to date with vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms.

At medium and high community levels, people at high risk for severe illness may need to take additional precautions. A full list of CDC individual and community recommendations for each level can be found on cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/community-levels.html.