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COVID-19 cases spike in Menominee, Delta counties

ESCANABA — The counties of Delta and Menominee saw their COVID-19 case numbers spike Monday, and Menominee County recorded its first local death attributed to coronavirus Tuesday.

On Monday, Sept. 14, Public Health, Delta and Menominee Counties (PHDM) Health Officer Michael Snyder said COVID cases in Delta County and Menominee County grew by a combined total of 12 cases.

“I believe it was a combination of different things, one being schools back in session and more interaction between students and staff at schools,” he said.

Snyder also pointed out that Labor Day had taken place recently.

“We had more tourist traffic, as well as more activity,” he said.

However, he said these increases could not be traced back to any specific holiday gatherings.

Some COVID-19 testing efforts in the area have been expanded, as well.

“There is additional testing going on right now at long-term care and adult foster care facilities — that’s been required,” Snyder said.

Finally, Snyder said COVID-19 case numbers for Sunday and Monday have recently been combined.

“When you get numbers on Monday, that is a combined number of cases and COVID deaths for Sunday and Monday,” Snyder said.

According to Snyder, this change was made last weekend.

On Tuesday, PHDM received word of Menominee County’s first COVID-related death. The victim was a woman who was hospitalized on Aug. 31 and passed away Tuesday at a facility in Green Bay, Wis.

“Our heartfelt sympathies and prayers go out to the family who have lost their loved one. This is a tragic reminder of how serious a threat COVID-19 is to our residents, especially those with underlying health conditions and really, to the community as a whole,” Snyder was quoted as saying in a press release issued by PHDM Tuesday.

The Upper Peninsula had 1,306 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 217 probable cases and 21 deaths linked to the disease as of Tuesday, according to state officials. Delta County had a total of 198 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 32 probable cases and four deaths; Menominee County had 241 confirmed cases, 31 probable cases and one death; and Schoolcraft County had 18 confirmed cases and one probable case.

Elsewhere in the peninsula, Alger County had 16 confirmed cases and one probable case; Baraga County had seven confirmed cases and five probable cases; Chippewa County had 44 confirmed cases and 23 probable cases; Dickinson County had 76 confirmed cases, two probable cases and two deaths; Gogebic County had 140 confirmed cases, 12 probable cases and one death; Houghton County had 183 confirmed cases, 40 probable cases and one death; Iron County had 49 confirmed cases, three probable cases and one death; Keweenaw County had six confirmed cases and one probable case; Luce County had 11 confirmed cases and one probable case; Mackinac County had 36 confirmed cases and 15 probable cases; Marquette County had 243 confirmed cases, 49 probable cases and 11 deaths; and Ontonagon County had 38 confirmed cases and one probable case.

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