COVID-19: Four New Cases Confirmed In Washburn County

Press Release

Washburn County, WI – The Washburn County Health Department confirmed four additional cases of COVID-19 in Washburn County over the weekend. This is a concerning increase in new cases over a short period of time.

Two cases are close contacts of confirmed cases and were under Health Department monitoring prior to testing positive. There is no risk of community exposure related to these two cases.

Two cases are not associated with any known exposure. The Health Department is currently working to identify and notify any close contacts. If evidence of community exposure is discovered during our investigation, we will notify the public through a separate news release and Facebook local alert.

As of 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 27, our total confirmed case count currently stands at thirteen (13) with six (6) active cases and seven (7) recovered. Full case counts including currently monitoring and negative test results are released weekdays at 2:00 pm on the Washburn County Health Department Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WashburnCoHealthDept/

Preventing the spread of COVID-19 is a shared responsibility between individuals, businesses, and community agents. In order to protect the health of our community and ensure businesses are able to remain operational, everyone needs to take steps to stop the spread.

Washburn County businesses and residents should take the following steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Physical distancing of at least 6 feet from people who do not live together.
• Use of cloth face coverings when in public places where physical distancing is difficult or impossible. More information on face coverings can be found on our Coronavirus Outbreak page (linked below).
• Frequent hand washing with soap and water, or sanitize with hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are unavailable.
• Avoid gatherings with individuals outside of your household as much as possible. Any close contact with a non-household member could expose you to the virus.
• If experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 (https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/symptoms.htm), isolate yourself as much as possible and get tested.
• Businesses should follow the WEDC’s guidelines for reopening (https://wedc.org/reopen-guidelines/)

Visit https://www.co.washburn.wi.us/news/public-health/Coronavirus-Outbreak for up-to-date information and Washburn County testing information by provider. Questions can be directed to the Health Department at 715- 635-4400 or by email to health@co.washburn.wi.us.