County COVID deaths triple as new case record set

The number of deaths caused by COVID-19 tripled last week as yet another record for new cases was set.

Trempealeau County Health Department Director Barb Barczak said all six of the county residents who have died from the virus — including four last week — were over the age of 60, however, she warned that younger people have also died from the disease elsewhere in the state.

From last Monday to this Monday, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported a new record 168 new COVID-19 cases in Trempealeau County, shattering the previous record of 111 set two weeks ago. Included in the new weekly record was a new daily record of 39 new cases on Thursday of last week.

The increase in deaths comes with an increase in cases amongst the county’s elderly residents. Health department public information officer Kaila Baer said there have been three outbreaks at long-term care facilities, including Grand View Care Center in Blair, Trempealeau County Health Care Center in Whitehall and Dove Healthcare in Osseo. She said another facility was also being reviewed for a possible outbreak.

Among the new cases reported over the last two weeks are 66 county residents who are above the age of 60, including 13 who are at least 80 years old. As of Friday of last week, six people remained hospitalized with the virus.

“People’s actions are beginning to impact our most vulnerable community members,” Baer said.

The northern part of the county was hit the hardest last week as the Eleva/Strum and Osseo areas combined for 62 new cases. Osseo’s 34 new cases were the most any area has had in a single week in the county since the virus hit the county in April. Galesville had 21 new cases while Whitehall had 19, Arcadia and Trempealeau, 16; Independence, 12 and Blair 10.

Over the last two weeks — the period in which cases are generally considered active — Osseo had had 46 new cases, Eleva/Strum, 41; Galesville, 40; Trempealeau, 36; Arcadia, 29; Whitehall, 27; Blair, 26 and Independence, 17.

As of Monday, the county was at 1,158 total cases, 55 percent of which were deemed to be community spread — meaning where the origin is unknown. Forty-three percent of the cases are from close contact, according to information the health department released last week.

The health department reported that nearly 54 percent of the people who tested positive had moderate symptoms, 32.4 percent had mild and 6.3 percent had severe, while 7.7 percent were asymptomatic.

The health department also issued another advisory last week, this time for Dani’s City Café in Whitehall. The health department advised that anyone who was at the café from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 24 should be considered medium risk and limit all non-essential activities for 14 days from the exposure date.