Event Tied To Tri-State Outbreak Of COVID-19 Cases

An event held recently in Ashland has led to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

A letter was sent out to the Chequamegon Bay community on Thursday stating that 13 confirmed cases across the tri-state area are tied to the event, which was not specified.

On Monday, Bayfield County health officials sent out a release urging anyone to get tested who attended a hockey tournament in Ashland the last weekend in June after an individual tested positive for coronavirus.

Both children and adults have tested positive for the virus with more tests still pending and cases expected to grow. The letter states that health officials in Ashland and Bayfield counties are “working above capacity” to conduct contact tracing related to the event.

“Multiple businesses in the area are temporarily closed, or have suspended operations based on potential staff exposure to COVID-19 due to this single event,” the letter reads. “These closures have a significant impact on the reputation and economic viability of a business, and the health and financial well-being of staff members that rely on these businesses.”

Medical providers in the area are conducting a high volume of tests. Many staff members are under quarantine after potentially becoming exposed, limiting their ability to respond to those in need of care.

In a separate case, Bayfield County reported Thursday that a recent visitor to the Port Wing community has contracted COVID-19 and is hospitalized downstate. The county is asking anyone who visited the Port Bar and Restaurant in Port Wing to monitor for symptoms of the virus after the individual visited the establishment over the holiday weekend.

Several counties, two tribes and a local medical center in the region are urging residents and visitors to wear masks, limit contact with people outside their household and follow social distancing guidelines when they go out in public. Bayfield County has reported four cases of coronavirus, including one death. Ashland County has confirmed three cases of the virus as of Thursday afternoon.