News File Photo Terra Koss, of Posen, stays masked up during a mom’s-day-out haircut from Lisa Gallagher at Reflections Salon in Alpena in this December 2020 News archive photo.

ALPENA — Newly reported coronavirus infections were in the single digits on Wednesday in Northeast Michigan, a respite after 1,448 new cases were reported in the last month.

Public health officials on Wednesday reported nine newly infected Northeast Michiganders, including one Alpena County resident, three Presque Isle County residents, two Montmorency County residents, and three Alcona County residents.

With the exception of Dec. 2, when eight new infections were reported after a possible dip in tests over the Thanksgiving weekend, Wednesday’s numbers mark the lowest one-day total of new infections since Nov. 5.

Still, as of Wednesday, 1,335 Northeast Michiganders were actively infected, meaning they’d been confirmed infected with COVID-19 but have not recovered or died, and could infect others.

Free coronavirus tests will be available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at Thunder Bay Transportation. Police ask that those being tested enter from Hamilton Road to prevent backups on U.S.-23.

The Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District announced Wednesday that another employee of the district’s central office was probably infected. That person has symptoms of COVID-19 but was not in close contact with students or staff while contagious, according to district administrators.

Alpena officials announced Wednesday that city buildings will remain closed until at least Jan. 4. The Department of Public Works will continue to provide street repair, snow plowing, water and sewer repairs, and other needed services, although employees will only respond to emergency water and sewer service calls to homes and businesses. Other city departments may be reached by phone or mail.

As of Monday, 20 COVID-19 patients, four of whom were in intensive care, were hospitalized at MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena, according to state data. The Alpena hospital was 37% full.

As of Wednesday, 128 people were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection across the state-designated, 18-county health care region that includes Alpena, Presque Isle, and Montmorency counties, according to state data.

Since the pandemic hit Michigan in mid-March, 1,591 Northeast Michiganders have been infected, according to local public health agencies. Of those, 226 have recovered and 30 have died.

The last death was reported on Tuesday.