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Monday’s COVID-19 update from the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department shows vaccination rates creeping up throughout the Copper Country. Houghton County lags at 13 percent, but Keweenaw and Baraga Counties are both over 17 percent. A third vaccine from Johnson and Johnson has been approved and is shipping across the country. It is less effective than its two counterparts, but has the advantage of being completed with only one dose. That should help open the process up to more than select occupations and the riskiest demographics.
Across the three-county area there were only 10 combined COVID-19 cases recorded over the weekend. That compares to 28 recoveries. Houghton County logged one new death.
- TOTAL: 11 more positives, 1 more probable positive, 59 more recoveries, 2 deaths and 15.00% fully vaccinated (up from 14.10% meaning 460 people)
- BARAGA COUNTY: 1 more positives, 3 more recoveries and 17.91% fully vaccinated (up from 17.16%)
- GOGEBIC COUNTY: 2 more positives, 28 more recoveries, 1 death and 14.48% fully vaccinated (up from 14.25%)
- HOUGHTON COUNTY: 9 more positives, 2 more probable positives, 26 more recoveries, 1 death and 12.99% fully vaccinated (up from 12.17%)
- KEWEENAW COUNTY: 1 less probable positive, 1 less recovery and 17.02% fully vaccinated (up from 15.44%)
- ONTONAGON COUNTY: 1 less positive, 3 more recoveries and 23.57% fully vaccinated (up from 20.09%)
The full report is here.
The Western Upper Peninsula Health Department also announced a new medical director. Dr. Robert Van Howe is returning to the post he held from October 2019 until December 2020. Van Howe’s appointment is still awaiting approval from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
