GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — There’s been a three-digit jump in the number of COVID-19 coronavirus cases in Brown County.
Health Department officials said Thursday that there are 511 positive cases in Brown County and 6 more in the Oneida Nation for a total of 517. That’s 101 more than Wednesday.
Brown County Health Spokesperson Claire Paprocki says increased testing at JBS Beef Company, American Food Group, and Salm Partners in Denmark–the facilities linked to the spike–is partially behind the rapid case growth, but that’s not the only reason. Paprocki says that some people working at those facilities have not been practing social distancing.
“We continue to urge the different communities within the workforce at these facilities to please stay home when they are sick,” Paprocki said.
The spike in Brown County began around the Easter holiday, and Paprocki told reporters Thursday that isn’t a coincidence: some employees allegedly held and attended large gatherings during that time.
“Do not gather with anybody. Do not leave your house, only for essential services,” Paprocki said.
The Brown County Health Department has expanded multi-lingual messaging centered around social distancing in an effort to reach all communities within Brown County.
Officials have linked 189 Coronavirus cases to JBS Beef Company, 55 to American Food Group, and 23 to Salm Partners. That includes employees at those facilities, temp workers, and their families.
There are 22 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Brown County and 35 patients are out of isolation with diminishing or no symptoms.
