NEWBERRY — The Luce, Mackinac, Alger, Schoolcraft District Health Department has issued a public health advisory in response to rising COVID-19 cases within the district.

According to LMAS officials, there were 31 separate COVID outbreaks across the Upper Peninsula as of Friday. Officials linked these outbreaks to long-term care facilities, health care facilities, religious services, sporting events, restaurants, private gatherings and workplaces.

According to a news release, the LMAS district has seen a 2829% increase in COVID cases from July up until Friday. The four-county area added just seven cases in July, but that number spiked to 205 cases from Aug. 1 to Aug. 27. Officials state that 99% of all tests being sequenced are coming back as the more contagious delta variant.

The U.P. as a whole has seen eight consecutive weeks of case increases. Over the last two weeks, the U.P. added 852 cases alone, and currently has more than four times the number of active cases than there were at this time last year.

“Delta is twice as infectious as the original virus we were dealing with a year ago,” LMAS officials said in the news release. “Across the country, the vaccines are doing a good job at preventing serious illness and hospitalization, but there are a growing number of breakthrough cases in those fully vaccinated. To date, 0.2% of fully vaccinated in the LMAS counties have had breakthrough infections.

“We cannot take the delta variant of the COVID virus lightly. Children under age 12 are still not eligible to be vaccinated, and only 21% of those ages 12-15 in the district are fully vaccinated. Overall, the LMAS counties are at 56% fully vaccinated, with the greatest numbers in those over the age of 65.

“We have been advised by the Region 8 Healthcare Coalition in the U.P. and Region 7 in northern Lower Michigan that ICU bed availability is extremely tight along with EMS coverage. Hospitalizations across the region have gone up steadily over the past week. Emergency department COVID visits are also trending up across the area.”

Through its public health advisory, LMAS is recommending the following actions:

– Get your COVID vaccination as soon as possible. Appointments are available for anyone age 12 and older. Schedule online at LMASDHD.org or contact your local hospital or pharmacy.

– Wear a mask in all indoor settings when around people who do not live in your immediate household, regardless of vaccination status.

– Maintain distance from those not in your household.

– Stay home when you don’t feel well and get tested for COVID.

– Wash your hands, thoroughly and often.

– Isolate if you test positive and follow the instructions from the health department.

– Quarantine if you are identified as a close contact of someone with COVID. If you are fully vaccinated and have no symptons, you will not need to quarantine.

– Get your flu shot as soon as possible.

“It is critically important that we all work together as a community and take the actions listed above,” officials said.

For more information, visit www.LMASDHD. org.

For the latest statewide COVID-19 data and information, visit www.Michigan.gov/coronavirus.