The Superior Express -

Michele Bever, South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) executive director reported rising COVID-19 cases in staff and residents at long-term care facilities, increasing virus levels in local wastewater and identification of XBB.1.5 variant among local cases.

Bever said four long-term care facilities in the district had reported new COVID-19 cases, totaling seven staff and 10 residents testing positive in the past two weeks.

“We are also monitoring the virus levels in the community through wastewater surveillance, which is showing that the virus is continuing to circulate in the comm...