COVID-19 update for October 6th

The latest Western Upper Peninsula Health Department COVID-19 update shows a new seasonal high for cases in Houghton County, but levels still well below last year. Houghton now has a higher case rate per 100,000 people than a majority of the region.

Houghton’s 113 cases compare to 19 in Baraga County and nine in Keweenaw. Looking at the New York Time’s COVID-19 tracker, on October 6th, 2020, the seven-day average for COVID cases was 24, which would translate to 168 per week.

There is some good news for the rest of the month. If similar trends to last year hold, the rest of October will see rapidly declining case rates across the Copper Country. On October 19, 2020 the seven-day average in Houghton County dropped to six, and on Halloween it was still low at 11 before spiking again in November, December, and January.

The table is below.