Outbreak at Wisconsin Dells dormitory

LAKE DELTON, Wi– Thirteen residents of a Wisconsin Dells dormitory for international student workers are currently in quarantine after they tested positive for COVID-19.

Hiawatha Residence Hall houses nearly 180 international student workers. But with most businesses closed in the Dells, the students are in the dorms more than usual.

It started a couple weeks ago, when two students got sick. Because of the nature of the facility, Sauk County health officials started an investigation

Tim Lawther is a Sauk County Health Officer, and he says officials tested every student and staff member in the complex on Saturday, bringing the total number of cases from two to fourteen.

“The rise in numbers were expected as we increase testing we’re obviously going to find more positive tests,” Lawther says.

Officials say one student has recovered, while the rest of the students are quarantined in one of the six Hiawatha Residence halls.

Dan Bullock is the CFO of Hiawatha Property Management. He says the complex made safety a priority from the beginning.

“We offered individual rooms to all students if they chose to take an individual room,” Bullock stated “We are encouraging hand washing and social distancing… our job as a housing provider is to do what we can to keep these students safe.”

Sauk county health officials report that as they conduct more tests – the number of cases will rise.

Sauk County health officials say some of the students had very mild symptoms and did not know they had the virus. Officials say the goal is to increase testing in the county to stop the spread of the virus

Source: WRJC.com

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