ONEIDA NATION, (NBC 26) -- Just over 40 percent of all Native American documented COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin were reported just this month according to data provided by the Department of Health Services.
Wisconsinites just endured the worst month on record, as far as positive cases of COVID-19.
"We've seen increases in all age groups and we track data on a daily basis," says Michelle Myers the Public Health Officer for the Oneida Nation.
Myers says over the last few weeks, more and more people from the Oneida Nation have contracted the virus adding that many had a notion of where they likely got it from.
"When we talk with these folks, they know of an activity that they participated in where they could have gotten it."
Currently, the Department of Health Services reports 606 Native Americans in Wisconsin... contracted COVID-19 in September alone.
"The numbers continue to increase as they do in all jurisdictions," says Myers.
DHS has been tracking the trend since back in April. Data from their website shows the number of cases in Native Americans rarely grew by more than a dozen cases, from one day to the next, through August.
But by the time September hit, COVID-19 cases in Native American populations were increasing by 20, 30, and even 40 plus cases nearly every day. Today we know that over 40 percent of all COVID-19 cases documented so far amongst Native Americans in Wisconsin, were contracted in September.
Myers says the data locally suggests that we all need to do our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.
"We can do this but we all need to do this together. Everybody's actions impact the community and it has to happen in every community."
As of Wednesday, DHS reports that 1381 Native Americans have contracted COVID-19 in Wisconsin, which is an increase of 606 cases in the last month.
