COVID-19 numbers rose slightly in our region last week.
Numbers released by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services show 54 confirmed diagnoses in Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga and Ontonagon Counties. That compares to 45 last week.
Houghton County fueled the jump, with a 63 percent increase. Cases in Baraga and Ontonagon Counties ebbed a bit, and Keweenaw County held steady.
Numbers across the state held basically steady last week, with an average of 1,381 diagnoses per day. An average of 18 people died from COVID-related causes each day in Michigan last week.
Officials caution that the actual number of COVID-19 cases could be significantly higher. Positive home tests are rarely reported, and mild cases may not be diagnosed. Even asymptomatic victims can still transmit the virus to others.