WUPHD Concerned with At Home COVID Tests and Cases in Schools

The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department is growing more concerned about under reported at home COVID tests and cases in schools.

At the monthly health department meeting on Monday health officer Kate Beer says concern over the number of cases in the region is coming from kids passing the virus to their family.

She said the health department is unable to record positive tests done at home but are not reported.

The past health department report on October 20th last week counted 244 cases. 81 less that the previous week. Though Beer still sees issue with such a high number for the area. Just during the two days after October 20th, Houghton County reported 87 cases to the department.

Cases continue to rise in the western UP. We did contact the health department for the most recent report, for October 27th. But have not received those numbers as of yet. Case reports for COVID are typically are finalized Wednesday each week by the department, and posted on Thursdays to the WUPHD facebook page.

Beer says that as of Monday in the region there are 15 people hospitalized between Baraga County Memorial, UPHS-Portage and the Aspirus locations. Including one pediatric case.