By Shereen Siewert
Health officials, with the aid of the Wisconsin National Guard, tested 266 people for COVID-19 on Friday during a walk-up and drive-through event in Abbotsford.
Anyone age 5 or older with current symptoms received a test and no one was turned away. Results are pending, but health officials say they expect “some people will receive positive test results.”
The tests were offered just days after three Abbyland Foods employees tested positive for coronavirus.
“We strongly suspect community-transmission in Marathon and Clark Counties.” Said Marathon County Health Officer Joan Theurer. “We continue to request that individuals use social distancing, wear a mask in public, use good hand hygiene, and to quarantine themselves if they are feeling ill at this time.”
As of Monday, 50 people in Marathon County and 33 people in Clark County have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the latest Dept. of Health Services data.
Patients who receive a positive test result will be called by a public health nurse, who will walk them through next steps. All symptomatic patients were asked to stay home and self-quarantine.
Test results are expected within 3-7 days.
Participants are strongly encouraged to pick up the phone for unknown numbers during that time, as it may be their COVID-test results, health officials said.
Two people tested positive for COVID-19 during a May 19 community testing event in Wausau, where 221 tests were administered. One positive test came from Marathon County, while the other was from Lincoln County.
The Wood County Health Dept. will hold a testing event from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Marshfield Fairgrounds, 513 E. 17th St., Marshfield.
