Health department notes increase in COVID-19 infections

The Oneida County Health Department is reporting an uptick in COVID-19 infections.

“We are also seeing an increase statewide in surveillance systems such as wastewater,” county health officials said in a press release. “Individuals who have COVID-19 can shed the virus in their feces, even if they do not have symptoms. We continue to monitor this so we can better understand how prevalent COVID-19 is and act quickly if it is spreading in a community.”

Symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body ache, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. Symptoms of COVID-19 can vary between variants.

Take the following precautions to reduce your risk of getting COVID-19, especially if you are an older adult or are immunocompromised.

• Stay home if you are feeling ill

• Wear a mask

• Avoid crowded areas

• Practice hand hygiene

• Get vaccinated. 

Updated COVID-19 vaccines are expected in the fall of 2023.

For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html or https://publichealth.co.oneida.wi.us.