MADISON (WKOW) – An outbreak of COIVD-19 at a Dane County child care center resulted in 35 confirmed cases, with many close contacts to be tested in the near future.
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According to a press release from Public Health Madison and Dane County, 21 children and child care workers tested positive, along with 14 family members. PHMDC did not identify 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 have let the center know that part of the outbreak at least included the B.1.1.7 variant, which is probably why we saw the spread occur so quickly,” said PHMDC Director Janel Heinrich.
Since all Wisconsin residents age 16 and older are now eligible for vaccines, PHMDC encourages everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
“Get tested if you show any symptoms, test your children for 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.” Heinrich said.
Heinrich says adult vaccines also protect children.
“It really encourages people to get vaccinated, providing that cocoon effect around the child,” he says.
Heinrich notes that the symptoms of COVID-19 or its variants can mimic other conditions.
“Some of the symptoms that appear 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 while we know that testing, isolation and quarantine could really help minimize that risk.”
The data shows Wisconsin with 139 cases of variant B.1.1.7, with Minnesota’s case count nearly four times higher and Michigan’s total eight times higher than Wisconsin.