During early stages of the pandemic, only populated counties in Michigan’s lower peninsula saw cases spiking at an alarming rate, with some counties in more rural areas not seeing any cases at all. That changed this week with reports of COVID-19 positive tests showing up in every county in Michigan.
Ontonagon county in the Upper Peninsula, for example, hadn’t seen a single case throughout the pandemic, and just this week reported its first case. It’s unclear whether any cases had existed in the area prior, or if lack of early testing in those rural areas is to blame.
Luann Hayrynen, a resident of Ontonagon County said “I haven’t been tested and I don’t know anyone who has.”, confirming that testing in the area may have been slow to take place.
Residents of these previously unaffected areas are speculating that folks who spend their winters elsewhere and vacationers may be to blame for the new cases. Regardless of the cause of new cases, health experts in the area are monitoring those who may have been exposed and are continuing to stress the importance of hand hygiene, social distancing and mask wearing to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
To learn more about how COVID has spread to every county in Michigan, head to the Gander here.
