MENASHA, Wis.— Health officials in Wisconsin’s Fox Valley say a surge in COVID-19 cases has stressed the region’s hospital systems.

Nancy McKenney is public health director for the City of Menasha. She says the positive cases the last two weeks, 151, were 50% higher than the previous two weeks, 99.

“It’s not easy, it’s challenging, and it requires all of us to work together so we have a better outcome,” she says.

Her department joined several others from her region Friday in releasing a joint alert to the community about “very high levels of COVID-19 cases.”

In the alert they warn, “due to escalation in cases, public health is not able to notify positive cases and their close contacts in a timely manner. This severely limits efforts to contain the virus. Hospitals are enacting emergency plans. Public health implores everyone to take actions to stop uncontrolled community spread.”

McKenney says she has spoken to state pandemic investigators and has been told many of the cases during Wisconsin’s recent surge can be tied to weddings, funerals, and large parties.

She says the state has told her some cases have been traced back to football parties since the start of the NFL season.

McKenney says Wisconsinites can flatten the curve if “shake off the COVID-19 fatigue and encourage each other.”