Third COVID-19 related death reported in Taylor County

With report of a third COVID-19-related death in Taylor County and an exposure site at a tavern in the Owen area, local health officials are urging people to use caution and take safety precautions against contracting the virus.

According to health officer Patty Krug, the death occurred last week but was not reported to the health department until this week. “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased person,” Krug said. “Out of respect to the family, we are not releasing any further details. We remind all Taylor County residents to follow safety guidelines to avoid COVID-19. This includes avoiding unnecessary trips, wearing a mask when you need to go out; maintaining at least six feet of space between yourself and others who are not in your household, washing hands thoroughly and often, and covering coughs and sneezes.”

Krug also passed along information from the Clark County Health Department (CCHD) over contact tracing and case investigation that identified the Thirsty Squirrel in Owen and an exposure site for COVID-19. The exposure took place on Saturday Aug. 15 and Saturday, Aug. 22.

According to the CCHD, numerous cases of COVID-19 have been identified via lab-confirmed test results from individuals who were at the tavern on those dates.

The CCHD is encouraging everyone who was present at the tavern on those dates to self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days from their last visit. If you develop symptoms, contact your healthcare provider to get tested for COVID-19.

Management at the Thirsty Squirrel has been requiring staff to wear masks, and assures they have been taking necessary COVID-19 precautions. After each exposure date, the Thirsty Squirrel closed for a couple days to conduct thorough cleaning and disinfecting. The establishment continues to work closely with the CCHD.

The Taylor County Health Department hosted a free testing event on Wednesday with National Guard assistance at the Taylor County Fair Grounds in Medford.

Taylor County

85 — Number of positive cases: 2192 — Number of people with negative results 3— Number of cases who have died As of 8/25/2020 SOURCE: WWW.DHS.WISCONSIN.GOV/COVID-19