Gogebic County tops 20 COVID deaths

HANCOCK — More than 20 people in Gogebic County have died related to the coronavirus pandemic, the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department reported Monday, as local health officials continue to work to limit the spread of the virus.

There have been a total of 21 deaths in the county related to COVID-19 since the virus was first detected locally in March, according to the WUPHD’s Monday update, with a total of 51 deaths in the five-county region the health department serves.

Gogebic County has had 524 positive cases and an additional 207 probables over the course of the pandemic, with 124 of those being considered active on Monday. These numbers are up from the 490 positive cases, 194 probable cases and 19 deaths the department reported Thursday.

Ontonagon County has had 239 positives, 29 probables, 11 deaths and 83 active cases, according to the update. This is up from the 222 positives, 28 probables and 10 deaths reported Thursday.

Data on the state of Michigan’s website lists 12 deaths in Ontonagon County, as of Monday afternoon. WUPHD Health Officer Kate Beer previously told the Daily Globe that discrepancies between the health department’s figures and state data can be due to a variety of reasons, such as the time each agency releases its information.

The Gogebic and Ontonagon numbers are part of the five-county total of 2,351 positive cases, 554 additional probables, 51 deaths and 479 active cases through Monday when data from Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw counties is also included.

Gogebic County’s totals include a total of 27 resident cases, one resident death and 27 staff cases at Gogebic Medical Care Facility; 55 resident cases, 10 resident deaths and 27 staff cases at Westgate Nursing and Rehab Community; and one staff case at Westgate Living Center. These numbers show an additional nine resident cases and seven staff cases at Gogebic Medical Care Facility, as well as one less staff case at Westgate Nursing and Rehab Community from last Tuesday. The Westgate Living Center case also wasn’t listed on the state’s site last Tuesday.

In Wisconsin, the Iron County Health Department reported a total of 332 confirmed cases and 58 additional probable cases among Iron County residents Monday. This includes 68 active cases, 11 deaths and 18 cases that have required hospitalization.

Wisconsin’s COVID website lists Skyview Nursing Center and Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation Center as “nursing homes with active public health investigations,” as of Tuesday, but didn’t include specific case numbers.

Health officials in both states continue to urge residents to wear masks, practice social distancing, stay home as much as possible and frequently wash their hands as these remain the best ways to prevent the spread of the virus.