L’ANSE — Rebuking a public letter by Baraga County officials against the anti-COVID restrictions, Baraga County Memorial Hospital staff posted a statement indicating their agreement with the orders and urging residents to follow state public health orders and recommendations.

BCMH posted the statement on its Facebook page Thursday night, three days after Sheriff Joe Brogan’s post of the “Baraga County Manifesto,” signed by him and eight other county officials. The county officials’ post decried the state restrictions and said the county should not enforce state orders related to the pandemic.

A resident had asked hospital staff if it would still be safe to come to the hospital, thinking the officials’ letter had affected the hospital’s practices, the BCMH letter said. BCMH’s practices will stay the same, the letter said.

“We are concerned that following a Manifesto such as this may lead to harm to the residents of Baraga County and as their medical providers, we stand firm in our agreement with the public health orders which have been put forth by the State of Michigan,” BCMH said.

As of Friday, the county had 569 confirmed or probable cases during the epidemic, and 29 deaths.

With Baraga County’s death rate the highest per capita in the state, the hospital is following the guidelines and encouraged residents to do the same.

“In fact, not following the recommendation is likely to lead to more hospitalizations and deaths of our most vulnerable county residents, taking us backwards in this pandemic,” the BCMH statement said. “We are losing a whole generation of elderly people whom our community’s children will never know.”

Residents should continue to wear masks and social distance, said the hospital, which also urged them to allow health departments to continue giving guidance through the pandemic. BCMH also recommended people get a vaccine against COVID-19 as soon as they are able.

“We want our community to be able to move forward in a gradual return to a normally functioning society,” BCMH said. “Therefore, we at BCMH will continue to provide medical care using best medical practices and following our experts’ advice.”