Posted: Tue 11:25 AM, May 26, 2020
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Updated: Tue 11:40 AM, May 26, 2020
FOND DU LAC COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) – Fond du Lac County’s Public Health Officer says recent positive cases of COVID-19 have been linked to gatherings like birthday parties.
Over the holiday weekend, the county confirmed 25 new cases of COVID-19. That brings the county-wide total to 182.
“Many of these cases are related to current outbreaks we are addressing and actively investigating through our contact tracing,” says Public Health Officer Kim Mueller.
The source of the outbreaks? Birthday parties and funerals and other get togethers.
“I think it’s important to point out that a lot of our newly identified positive cases were at recent birthday parties or other gatherings, such as funerals,” Mueller says.
Some of the patients stated they thought they had allergies and didn’t suspect it could be the coronavirus.
“In interviewing our cases, we are currently identifying that people are saying they went to a party because they thought they had seasonal allergies, later to find out they get a COVID test and it comes back positive,” says Mueller.
Mueller is pleading with people to stay home if they are sick. The virus is spread between people who are in close contact. It can be spread through coughing, sneezing, and talking. CLICK HERE for more answers to frequently asked questions.
“We would hate for our numbers to continue to increase because people decide to go to gatherings because they think they have seasonal allergies when in reality they have COVID, and now they are exposing, like 25 people, let’s say, at a gathering,” says Mueller.
Symptoms of COVID-19 are headache, fever, sore throat, shortness of breath, muscle aches, cough, and new loss of taste or smell.
Fond du Lac County residents can call 844-225-0147 to to talk to someone about getting a test.
“It’s not the businesses we’re worried about. It’s truly these gatherings, birthday parties, funerals, other gatherings. Especially, potentially, gatherings that happened this last weekend because it was Memorial Day,” says Mueller.
The bottom line: if you’re feeling sick, don’t go to the party.
“We know people are getting together, but we need everybody to do their part and identify if you’re not feeling well, please don’t go out. Don’t go to a gathering where you’re potentially going to expose and infect everybody else at that party,” says Mueller.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Fond du Lac County’s response to coronavirus.
