An outbreak of a contagious COVID-19 variant at a child care center in Dane County has infected 35 people, including 16 children and five child care workers, the health department said.
According to Public Health Madison and Dane County, the B.1.1.7 variant, first identified in the UK, was found in cases related to the center.
The virus spread rapidly among children, family members and workers. All children who tested positive were 6 years or younger.
“This is an important reminder that we must all continue to take precautions,” Janel Heinrich, director of the health department, said in a statement.
Fourteen family members of children and workers are among the 35 people who tested positive.
“Most children associated with the outbreak had very mild symptoms,” the health department said in a news release.
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The outbreak at the child care center comes as experts raise concerns about how the B.1.1.7 variant affects children and Milwaukee Public Schools is preparing for the return of most students to classrooms.
The B.1.1.7 variant is 50 to 100% more contagious than the original strain and causes 50 to 60% of the time more serious diseases, says Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Research and Policy on Infectious Diseases at the University. of Minnesota, on Sunday “Meet the Press.”
The variant offers an increased risk for children, who are not yet authorized to receive the available vaccinations.
“This B.1.1.7 variant is a brand new ball game,” Osterholm said. “It infects children very easily. Unlike previous strains of the virus, we have not seen children under the eighth grade become infected frequently, or that they have not been very often sick. They have not been exposed to the rest of the virus. community. “
There are several cases of ballooning in nearby Michigan and Minnesota, especially in schools. Michigan has identified more than 1,200 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant – the second in the country behind Florida. According to state data, the largest sources of new outbreaks in Michigan are K-12 schools.
More: Michigan’s COVID-19 rate is the 3rd worst in the US. Schools become virtual, hospitals become full
And Osterholm said the B.1.1.7 variant has been linked to 749 schools in Minnesota over the past two weeks.
According to state data, Wisconsin identified 149 different cases. Both except 10 are the B.1.1.7 variant.
The data from Wisconsin does not contain details about the outbreaks of schools in schools. But it shows that educational facilities have the most active investigations into outbreaks of any environment, with 499. Second are non-health care workplaces, with 329 active investigations of outbreaks.
Every district in the state has at least personal instructions, though Milwaukee and Madison remain virtually entirely virtual. Many schools have reopened because research shows that the risk of transmission of the original coronavirus strain is generally low among young children.
The school board recently decided to return students from Milwaukee Public Schools in kindergarten through third grade to school buildings from April 14th. Most students can return by April 26th.
In Madison, only the youngest students have returned to school buildings, while students in grade three and older will return in phases in April. Third-graders begin the phased reopening plan on April 13th.
The Dane County Department of Health has asked parents to be vigilant in noticing symptoms in children. Testing children is the key to stopping the spread of the virus among people with severe reactions.
“Symptoms of COVID-19 that are common in children can include fever, cough, fatigue, headache, muscle aches and nasal congestion. Do not mistake these symptoms due to seasonal allergies; get tested and rule out COVID-19 first,” said the department.
Heinrich also urged everyone 16 and older to get the vaccine to protect children who have not yet been able to do so. The state was eligible for all on Monday.
“As more and more adults are vaccinated, I hope we can form a circle of protection around our children so that everyone in our community can stay healthy,” she said.
More: What to know about the COVID-19 vaccine and where to get it in Wisconsin as its suitability expands to all adults?
Latest vaccine numbers
Total doses administered: 3,087,492
Wisconsin residents with at least one dose: 1 922 832 (33% of the population)
Fully vaccinated residents: 1 171 309 (20.1% of the population)
Residents 65 and older with at least one dose: 778 846 (76.6% of 65+ population)
Drake Bentley of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.
More: More than 20% of Wisconsin residents are fully vaccinated
Contact Sophie Carson at (414) 223-5512 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @SCarson_Nuus.