New COVID-19 cases drop, more residents die

The number of new COVID-19 cases in Trempealeau County saw a significant decrease from previous weeks, but the death total continued to rise as five more county residents died from the virus last week.

The deaths brought the total number of deaths of county residents to 17 with 12 coming in the month of November. The death total could continue to rise as the Trempealeau County Health Department reported 21 residents were hospitalized as of Monday afternoon. 

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported that 72 percent of hospital beds and 73.7 percent of Intensive Care Unit bed in the county’s region — the state’s western region — were in use as of Monday.

The health department reported 34 new cases amongst residents 80 years old or older from Nov. 18 to Nov. 30. That put the total number of cases of people in that age group at 119, with 92 of those cases coming in the month of November.

The health department also reported an increase of 39 cases for residents between 70 and 79 years old and 36 new cases amongst residents between the ages of 60 and 69.

The DHS reported five facility-wide investigations in Trempealeau County. Undergoing public health investigations in the county as of Monday were Dove Nursing Home, Grand View Care Center, Marinuka Manor, Trempealeau County Health Care Center and Tri County Care Center.

The county did see a decrease in the number of new cases compared to previous weeks. After breaking new case records for five straight weeks, the county saw a drop from 460 new cases two weeks ago to 198 last week. The decline came after a face-covering requirement issued by county health director Barb Barczak went into effect Nov. 21.

The county’s board of health also approved an ordinance change that would allow for the fining of county residents who refuse to wear face coverings in public. That change requires approval from the county board of supervisors who are not scheduled to meet again until Dec. 21. An e-mail sent by the Times to county board chair John Aasen asking if the county board would consider calling a special meeting to discus the issue and possibly approve the ordinance change before that date was not returned.

The Trempealeau area had the most new cases with 38, while Arcadia had 30, Galesville, 28; Eleva/Strum, 21; Blair, 20; Osseo, 19; Whitehall, 16 and Independence, 15.

The La Crosse County Health Department reported on Monday that COVID-19 vaccines could be distributed in December.