ESCANABA — COVID-19 infections in Delta County are at their lowest point in more than a year-and-a-half, according to data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

According to MDHHS — which only reports COVID-19 infections that are identified in healthcare settings — only two new cases of the virus were reported the week of March 15. The last time the county saw lower numbers was the week July 22, 2023, when only one case was reported. The last time Delta County had no new cases to report was the week of June 19, 2021.

The recent drop in Delta County cases mirrors a fall in the number of cases across the peninsula that led to zero cases being reported last week in Keweenaw, Baraga, Menominee, and Alger counties. Eleven counties in the northern Lower Peninsula also reported no new cases last week, as the state as a whole fell to its lowest level since June of 2024.

The amount of detectable DNA from the virus responsible for COVID-19 is also lower than average. The last two samples submitted to the Sentinel Wastewater Epidemiology Evaluation Project (SWEEP) by the Escanaba Waste Water Treatment Plant contained more DNA than only 11% and 6% of samples submitted to the project since the city began participating in the project in August of 2021. The samples were dated for March 6 and March 3, respectively.

The lowest reported sample from the Escanaba Wastewater Treatment Plant so far this year was recorded for Feb. 19, when the sample contained more DNA than 0% of samples from the site. Five days later, the amount fo detectable DNA rose to more than was detectable in 22% of all samples, but that number quickly dropped back town to the 9% on Feb. 26.

No new deaths have been reported in the Upper Peninsula by MDHHS since the last time the Daily Press reported death totals, which were for the week of Feb. 15. The total number of deaths in the peninsula for 2025 is 13, with the individual counties reported as follows:

Gogebic – 1

Ontonagon – 0

Houghton – 0

Keweenaw – 0

Iron – 0

Baraga – 0

Dickinson – 1

Marquette – 2

Menominee – 0

Delta – 4

Alger – 0

Schoolcraft – 1

Luce – 0

Mackinac – 0

Chippewa – 4

The number of new cases in the Upper Peninsula for the week of March 15 is 33. Those cases were identified in each county as follows:

Gogebic – 2

Ontonagon – 1

Houghton – 3

Keweenaw – 0

Iron – 7

Baraga – 0

Dickinson – 4

Marquette – 6

Menominee – 0

Delta – 2

Alger – 0

Schoolcraft – 2

Luce – 1

Mackinac – 2

Chippewa – 3