ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bases activity level on several data points including hospital admissions per 100,000 population over seven days, the percentage of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 pateints and new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over seven days.

Rock CountyÃÛèÖÊÓƵ rate of about 275 new cases per 100,000 people over the last seven days as of Tuesday put the county into the CDCÃÛèÖÊÓƵ “mediumâ€� transmission range, according to the release. That rate is several times smaller than rates reported in the county in January.

The county said that while case numbers have ticked upward, there has not been a corresponding increase in hospitalizations thanks to people acquiring immunity through vaccines and previous infection. Hospitals in Rock County averaged about six patients per day receiving COVID-19 treatment, and fewer than 2% of inpatient beds have been occupied by people with COVID-19.

“We are cautiously optimistic that the level of immunity we currently have in the community will prevent some of the serious illnesses that we have experienced in prior COVID-19 surges,� Rock County Health Officer Katrina Harwood said in the release. “However, when we have experienced prior surges in people testing positive for COVID-19, surges in hospitalizations have lagged by approximately two weeks.�

The health department encourages residents to get vaccinated and to stay up to date with COVID-19 boosters as recommended by health officials. Shots are widely available, and people who are vaccinated have much lower risk of severe illness, hospitalization or death from COVID-19 compared to unvaccinated people.

Mask-wearing, testing and distancing in areas where transmission is likely to be high or where there are individuals at higher COVID-19 risk also remain among the best ways to stem COVID-19 transmission, according to the health department.