MARQUETTE — The Third Base Bar in Marquette has been identified as a potential COVID-19 exposure site.

The Marquette County Health Department on Saturday announced that it became aware through contact tracing efforts of a potential public exposure at the bar, located at 726 N. Third St.

The MCHD recommends that anyone who visited the Third Base Bar from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Oct. 29-30 monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 and contact their medical providers should they become symptomatic.

Testing information can be found on the MCHD website at mqthealth.org.

Westwood closed today

Bryan DeAugustine, superintendent at NICE Community Schools, announced in a Sunday Facebook post that the school district was notified by the Marquette County Health Department of a contact tracing event involving several Westwood High School members.

As a result, the high school is closed today to complete contact tracing protocols. All individuals involved were to be notified.

Westwood is planning to reopen on Tuesday.

NMU COVID numbers updated

The most recent cumulative numbers on Northern Michigan University’s Safe on Campus dashboard, found at https://nmu.edu/safe-on-campus/, show that between July 27 and Sunday afternoon, there have been 178 COVID-19 positive cases for a 2.36% positivity rate. These include 67 on-campus students, 95 off-campus students and 16 employees.

There are 64 active positive cases — 30 on-campus students, 31 off-campus students and three employees.

Whitmer issues COVID statement

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday released the following statement after the state of Michigan recorded its 200,000th confirmed case of COVID-19:

“As we head into winter and the 2020-2021 flu season in Michigan, now is the time for our state to come together and fight this virus on behalf of our families, frontline workers and small business owners. We have a common enemy, and it is COVID-19, not one another. This pandemic has ravaged our state. We are seeing record numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.”

Whitmer cautioned that if the state continues on its current path, it could see 100 deaths daily by Christmas.

“And it’s not going away.” she said. “Fighting this virus has always been a team sport — one that requires leaders from both sides of the aisle to work together to keep Michiganders safe.”

Whitmer said she recently called on state legislative leaders to pass legislation requiring all Michiganders to wear masks in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor areas.

“If the legislature is serious about fighting this virus and saving lives, they’ll start by passing the most important, life-saving rule of all: Wear a mask,” she said.

Health officials from across the state agreed with the governor’s calls for Michiganders to mask up.

“As a nurse taking care of critically ill people with COVID, I am begging everyone to wear a mask to prevent the spread of this deadly disease,” said Jamie Brown, RN, a critical care nurse who is president of the Michigan Nurses Association, in a statement. “People need to understand that nurses and health professionals are getting sick with COVID. If you support frontline health care workers and want us to be able to keep doing our jobs, wear a mask.

“If you want to help reduce COVID cases and deaths in Michigan, wear a mask. If you want to protect your loved ones and your community, wear a mask. It’s that simple. We need everyone to do their part.”

Dr. Jeffrey Postlewaite, DO, president of the Michigan Osteopathic Association, called on people to take “simple individual efforts” to prevent further community spread.

“The Michigan Osteopathic Association has worked to protect public health in our state since 1898, and in the midst of this health crisis our message is clear: Michiganders can protect each other by taking these basic steps: Wash hands, maintain social distance and wear a mask,” Postlewaite said in a statement.