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First presumptive positive COVID-19 case confirmed in Chippewa County

CHIPPEWA COUNTY — Testing through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services identified Chippewa County’s first presumptive positive case of COVID-19.

The Chippewa County Health Department on Sunday reported that it became aware of a presumptive case. The CCHD believes the risk to the public is minimal at this time, officials said. The presumptive positive person is an adult man with a medical history. The man is hospitalized in isolation, but not in Chippewa County. Specimens will be sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmatory testing, according to officials.

An investigation is underway to determine if additional people were in close contact with the individual, according to the health department.

“People must strictly practice social distancing at this time,” Chippewa County Health Officer Karen Senkas said in a news release. “Coronavirus is likely in our community and not everyone who has it will be sick. This is why it is so important to distance yourself. If you are sick, isolate yourself at home whether you have been tested or not. Act as though you have it if you have symptoms that resemble COVID-19.”

COVID-19 symptoms may appear in as few as two days or 14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, people should wash their hands, stay home when sick, avoid close contact with sick people, and disinfect commonly touched surfaces.

As of Sunday, Michigan had 1,035 cases, which did not include the Chippewa case. Information is updated daily at 2 p.m., with results included as of 10 a.m. that day.

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