COVID nearly non-existent in July

The Keweenaw Peninsula is nearly COVID-19 free in the month of July. A Western Upper Peninsula Health Department report warned about a small uptick, roughly 12 cases per week in Gogebic County, late Tuesday. That number is nowhere near the activity level seen last fall, but it stands out next to the almost spotless record of the other four counties in the district.

Houghton, Baraga, and Keweenaw Counties have combined for only two cases in the past 19 days. Ontonagon has registered another two by itself. Less than one percent of COVID-19 tests are coming back positive, except in Gogebic.

Also included in the release are vaccination rates by county. Houghton and Baraga continue to be well below 50% for adults receiving their second dose, even though they have the best numbers in the region. By comparison, Gogebic County is at 52.3 percent.