Record COVID cases, more deaths hit area

A record for the number of new COVID-19 cases was set for the fifth consecutive week as two more county residents died from the virus last week.

The new record of 434 new cases reported by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services was set on Sunday afternoon. The Times typically uses data updated on Monday, however, the press deadline was moved up this week due to Thanksgiving. Still, the new record was 48 more cases than had been reported the week prior. Included in the new weekly record was a new daily record of 104 new cases reported by Trempealeau County Health Department last week Tuesday. On Friday, the health department reported 752 active cases.  

With the new record also came two more deaths, reported by the health department on Friday. That brought the county’s death total up to 12, 10 of which have come in the last five weeks and seven in the month of November.

There continues to be a number of county residents who remain at high risk. The health department reported 14 people were hospitalized with the virus as of last Friday. There were 24 more people 80 years old or older who tested positive last week and 52 new positive tests for people over the age of 70. There were an additional 49 positive tests amongst people between the ages of 60 and 69.

The DHS reported active facility-wide investigations at Dove Nursing Home, Grand View Care Center, Marinuka Manor and the Trempealeau County Health Care Center.

The Arcadia area was hit the hardest last week with 86 new cases, four more than Trempealeau. All areas of the county had at least 25 new cases as Osseo had 53; Galesville, 48; Whitehall, 47; Blair, 39; Independence, 35 and Eleva/Strum, 25.

Last week Trempealeau County Health Director Barb Barczak issued an order requiring face coverings to be worn in public. The county’s board of health also approved an ordinance change that would allow health officials to fine people who violate the order. That ordinance is set to be reviewed by the full county board at a later date (see story elsewhere in this week’s Times).

The county health department issued a public notification of exposure for Mike’s Bar and Grill in Galesville last week. Anyone who was at the establishment between 5 and 6 p.m. on Nov. 17 or 5 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 18 is considered a “medium risk” exposure and are advised to limit all non-essential activity for 14 days from the exposure date.

As of Sunday afternoon, the total number of COVID-19 cases in Trempealeau County was 2,206.