Dickinson and Iron counties have had 10 new COVID-19 positives since July 1, a “significant” rise that prompted local health officials Wednesday to stress that residents and businesses continue to take precautions against the virus.

Of the new cases, six came in people who showed no sign of infection, according to the Dickinson-Iron District Health Department.

“Asymptomatic cases are a concern, as people do not exhibit symptom but can be spreading the disease without knowing,” the DIDHD stated in a news release Wednesday.

The DIDHD advised that businesses “remain vigilant by requiring their employees and the public to wear facial coverings and enforce social distancing requirements within their facilities. The Dickinson-Iron District Health Department has made available all necessary information to local businesses and residents regarding the importance of these preventative measures. It is now up to community leaders and residents to do their part for our community before COVID-19 cases overwhelm our local health care systems.”

That information can be found at http://www.didhd.org/coronavirus.php.

Officials added that the state has shifted Region 8, which is the Upper Peninsula, from low risk to a medium-risk area, according to the MI Safe Start Map Dashboard that can be found at www.michigan.gov/coronavirus.

According to the DIDHD, of Dickinson County’s 15 positives, two have died, four recovered and nine are still active cases; Iron County has had six cases, with one death, two recovered and three still active.

Elsewhere in the Upper Peninsula, the state Wednesday listed four new positives in Menominee County and one new case each in Marquette, Houghton and Schoolcraft counties.

For Wisconsin counties in the region, state health officials Wednesday listed two new cases in Marinette County and one new in Forest County. The Forest County Public Health Department in the afternoon posted on its Facebook page it had four additional positives to bring its total to 45.

For the Upper Peninsula, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ data site Wednesday recorded Keweenaw and Ontonagon counties with one confirmed virus case; Luce County with three confirmed cases; Alger County three confirmed cases and one probable; Baraga County with five confirmed cases; Iron County six confirmed cases and one death; Schoolcraft County with seven confirmed cases; Mackinac County nine confirmed cases; Gogebic County 10 confirmed cases, one probable and a death; Chippewa County 13 confirmed cases and one probable; Dickinson County 15 confirmed cases, one probable and two deaths; Houghton County 20 confirmed cases and one probable; Delta County 23 confirmed cases, four probable and three deaths; Menominee County 28 confirmed cases and one probable; and Marquette County 83 confirmed cases, one probable and 11 deaths. State numbers are updated daily but can lag behind local reports.

The MDHHS also earlier separately had prison inmates as positive in Luce and Chippewa counties.

Using state figures, the Upper Peninsula as of Wednesday had 229 confirmed positives and 18 deaths.

The MDHHS reported 610 confirmed new COVID-19 cases in Michigan on Wednesday for a total of 67,237 to date. The state had 10 new deaths for 6,015 to date.

Dickinson County Healthcare System as of Tuesday showed four cases from Dickinson County and eight cases from other counties; those counties are not identified. DCHS has tested 1,428 people for COVID-19, with 12 positive, 1,319 negative and 97 results still pending. DCHS noted there are several additional sources of testing in Dickinson County.

For the Wisconsin counties in the region, the state Department of Health Services’ COVID-19 data site Wednesday listed Marinette County with 73 cases and three deaths; Forest County 41 cases and three deaths; Vilas County 14 cases; Iron County eight cases and a death; and Florence County four cases. As with the Michigan data, the state numbers are updated daily but can lag behind local reports.

Wisconsin on Wednesday had 598 new cases for a total of 33,154 to date. The state had two new COVID-19 deaths to reach 807, according to the DHS data site.