The Bayfield County Health Department has identified a second case of COVID-19 and the first case of community spread in Bayfield County.
The lab-confirmed positive case announced Thursday, March 26 is a person who did not have a history of travel or contact with a known positive case of COVID-19, according to a news release. It is the first case of COVID-19 categorized as community spread in Bayfield County.
“This report provides even more reason to take Gov. Tony Evers’ safer at home order seriously,” said Sara Wartman, public health officer for Bayfield County. “We fully expect to see additional cases of the virus in the county but hope that our outreach and guidance is helping to convince county residents to stay home to disrupt the spread of the virus. This is crucial to reducing the spread and flattening the curve.”
As of Thursday, Wisconsin was up to 707 confirmed cases of COVID-19, but the latest numbers from the state Department of Health Services did not include the latest case in Bayfield County. So far, eight people have died from the illness in Wisconsin.
Public health efforts are focused on containing spread of the coronavirus and mitigating the impact of it. The health department is investigating this case and anyone identified as potentially at risk will be contacted, the news release said.
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Staying home, social distancing and self-isolating are the only ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Bayfield County Health Department is asking the public to stay home:
- Unless you work in an essential service, and to avoid unnecessary trips into the community,
- If you are experiencing any respiratory symptoms, such as cold, cough, fever or difficulty breathing,
- If you have recently returned from out of the area or have been notified you were in contact with a positive COVID-19 case.
Wartman said it's important for the public to follow Evers' order to keep others safe.
“We have limited health care capacity and are home to vulnerable populations, including the elderly, so please stay home and keep yourself safe and others safe," she said.
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