Increase in COVID-19 cases in county

St. Joseph County saw a recent surge in its confirmed coronavirus cases due to an outbreak at a Sturgis manufacturing facility.

Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency’s Rebecca Burns brought the issue to the attention of county commissioners during their executive committee meeting Wednesday.

Burns said the county’s number of confirmed cases as of Tuesday was 72.

Though she was not sure the number of confirmed cases at the Sturgis plant specifically, Burns said the situation was worsened by employees who unwittingly brought the virus home and infected family members.

An investigation shows it appears some individuals felt coronavirus is a government conspiracy and don’t believe it’s real, so they were not taking steps to social distance and be careful and cautious, Burns said. As a result, she noted, individuals have gone to work contagious and spread it to others.

Burns declined to name the company where the outbreak occurred.