The CDC has moved Eau Claire County from a “medium” to a “high” COVID-19 level.
Residents are urged to take precautions against spread, including wearing masks in public indoor settings.
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Community Supported Journalism
By Ta’Leah Van Sistine, community reporter/editor
Chippewa County remains at a severe COVID-19 risk level this week, as the number of virus cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to “climb quickly.”
Angela Weideman, the public health director/health officer for the Chippewa County Department of Public Health, said at a virtual press conference on Thursday that there has been a surge of young, healthy adults being hospitalized, and some dying, from COVID-19.
Since the department’s briefing a week earlier, there have been 223 more COVID-19 cases and three more deaths related to the virus, according to Nikki Hoernke, the department’s public information officer.
Weideman added that as of Thursday, 93% of intensive care unit beds are in use in the northwest region of Wisconsin.
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The Dunn County Health Department has issued an alert regarding potential exposure to COVID-19 by anyone who used a local taxi service within the Menomonie city limits on the evenings of July 28 and 29.
The department press release didn’t name the taxi company, identifying it only as a “local taxi service within Menomonie city limits that only accepts cash.” It said that anyone who used this taxi service on either evening and who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should get tested for possible coronavirus infection.
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Health authorities in Chippewa and Eau Claire Counties issued alerts Thursday in regard to potential COVID-19 exposure at two Water Street bars and one in Chippewa Falls.
UPDATE: A third Eau Claire bar — Brothers, at 324 Water St. — was notified Friday morning of a risk that its patrons had also been exposed to the virus. The City-County Health Department said the exposure risk began at 11:30 p.m. last Thursday (June 18) and lasted until 2 a.m.
The other Eau Claire bars identified by the health department were She-Nannigans, 415 Water St., and The Pickle, 341 Water St.
These developments came amid indications of “high” COVID-19 levels of activity in 22 Wisconsin counties, according to a story in UpNorthNews. Overall, the state has been given a high activity rating for the number of cases per 100,000 people in the past 14 days and the degree at which the rate is climbing, the story said.
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By Madeline Fuerstenberg, Community Reporter
Members of the UW-Eau Claire community are weighing the pros and cons following the announcement that the university will resume face-to-face instruction in the fall.
According to an email from Chancellor James C. Schmidt., Fall classes will commence on Sept. 2 – with certain precautions in place.
Mike Rindo, assistant chancellor for facilities and university relations, said the decision reflects the fact that there are certain “hallmarks” of a UW-EC education that cannot be easily replicated through online-only instruction. He said the decision to resume face-to-face instruction is a product of numerous discussions involving UW-EC executive-level staff.
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