Ypsilanti Fraternal Order of Eagles a COVID hotspot after 31 test positive, 40 exposed

YPSILANTI, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Washtenaw County Health Department is alerting the public of possible COVID-19 exposure at a Ypsilanti Fraternal Order of Eagles after 31 people have been confirmed to be positive with the virus over a span of ten days.

According to the health department, at least 31 people have tested positive for the virus after being at FOE #2250 in Ypsilanti. Another 40 people have been quarantined as they were identified as having close contact exposures.

The health department said multiple events and regular operations between Oct. 31 and Nov. 10 are associated with the positive tests. Included in the possible exposures are staff, members, and guests.

The health department said face coverings and social distance were reportedly inconsistently used or not used at all, contributing to the rapid spread of illness and the high number of exposures. The Fraternal Order of Eagles is cooperating and closed.

Anyone who visited the club between those dates should monitor for symptoms and stay home as much as possible while maintaining distance from others. Additionally, they're recommended to wear a mask until 14 days after their last visit to the club.

According to the health department, it's also investigating whether people who were positive visited other local businesses while infectious.

“This situation illustrates how quickly COVID-19 can spread and impact a large number of people, particularly when there are gatherings without good use of prevention measures like face coverings,” says Jimena Loveluck, MSW, health officer for Washtenaw County. “With our local cases at their highest levels since the pandemic began and hospitalizations increasing, we all must do everything we can to prevent additional spread. It’s up to us to work together to protect each other and our loved ones as well as our health care workers, public health workers and everyone serving and protecting the public.”

On Sunday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the state health department announced a 'three-week pause' that included new restrictions for businesses as Michigan's COVID-19 cases continued to skyrocket.

Several businesses and services are closed: