CHIPPEWA FALLS — With the impending closure of HSHS St. Joseph s Hospital in Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County Coroner Ron Patten is looking for a new location for the morgue.
Preliminary autopsy findings revealed that 10-year-old Lily Peters suffered strangulation and blunt force trauma, Chippewa County Coroner Ron Patten told CNN on Thursday.
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For Chippewa County Coroner Ron Patten, that means his four-person office has been busier than ever.
âWe have to wear personal protective equipment; it takes a little more time,â Patten said Monday. âWe have to be cautious so we donât get it. And there is extra paperwork with COVID cases. Itâs just part of the job. The hours we put in are just longer.â
Every person who dies in the county is now tested for COVID-19, adding more work for Patten and his staff.
In an average year, Chippewa County sees 850 deaths, or nearly three daily. So, adding in COVID-19 deaths over the past two months has made a notable increase in their cases.