MADISON (WKOW) – An outbreak of COIVD-19 at a daycare center in Dane County has resulted in 35 confirmed cases, with many close contacts being tested in the near future.
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According to a press release from Public Health Madison and Dane County, 21 children and daycare workers tested positive, along with 14 family members. PHMDC has not identified the center where the outbreak occurred.
The tests identified the B.1.1.7 strain that was first detected in the UK as part of the outbreak, but the statement said that most of the children diagnosed had only mild symptoms.
“We informed the center that part of the outbreak at least included variant B.1.1.7, which is probably the reason we saw the spread happening so quickly,” said PHMDC director Janel Heinrich.
Since all Wisconsin residents aged 16 and over are now eligible for vaccines, PHMDC encourages everyone to be vaccinated as soon as possible.
“Get tested if you have any symptoms, get your kids tested if they have symptoms and get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccines are highly effective against serious illness and death from COVID-19 infection, even with the most prevalent variants ”Said Heinrich.
Heinrich says vaccinating adults also protects children.
“Really encourage people to get vaccinated, providing that cocoon effect around the child,” she says.
Heinrich notes that the symptoms of COVID-19 or its variants can mimic other conditions.
“Some of the symptoms that come up in our youth are quite similar to what you might think are related to allergies,” says Heinrich. “But we don’t want people to make assumptions as long as we know that testing, isolation and quarantine can really help to minimize that risk.”
The data show Wisconsin with 139 cases of variant B.1.1.7, with the Minnesota case count almost four times higher and the Michigan total eight times higher than in Wisconsin.