10 Coronavirus Deaths In Wisconsin; 707 Cases

MILWAUKEE, WI — Three women from Milwaukee County have died from health complications due to the new coronavirus, state health officials said Thursday. During an afternoon press briefing, state health officials said Wisconsin's number of confirmed cases has risen to 707.

According to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner, a 57-year-old West Allis woman died from COVID-19. The woman died Wednesday night after she was admitted the previous Thursday with a fever and a cough.

The second death was a 79-year-old Milwaukee woman who died at the hospital from complications of COVID-19, the medical examiner said Thursday. She had been in the hospital since March 16.

Later on Thursday afternoon, the Medical Examiner reported the state's tenth coronavirus victim. The Medical Examiner's office reported that a 65-year-old woman died at a local hospital. She spent five days in the hospital before dying from complications, officials said.

Of Wisconsin's ten coronavirus-related deaths, seven are from Milwaukee County, officials confirmed.

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Cases Increase Across State

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Wisconsin's number of confirmed coronavirus cases increased to 707 statewide, an increase of 122 from the previous day's report.

Milwaukee County saw the largest increase in cases, with 57 new confirmed cases overnight. Dane County saw 26 new cases. Waukesha County saw the third-highest case increase overnight with 14. Kenosha county saw five new cases, and Washington and Rock Counties each saw four new cases overnight.

Governor Tweets Easy Ways To Check In, Help

On Thursday afternoon, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers — who issued a "safer at home" order restricting people's movements to essential tasks only starting on Wednesday — posted a bulletin on Twitter with three easy ways to find help when it comes to COVID-19.

Grocery Stores And Carryout Food: What's The Risk?

Public health officials in Wisconsin fielded a number of questions asked by state residents during Thursday afternoon's conference call, with most of them focusing on quality-of-life issues and the risks of going out in public - especially to get food.

Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer from the Bureau of Communicable Diseases answered one question that kept coming up: which is riskier, going to the grocery store or getting takeout food?

"We can feel comfortable that our usual ways of getting food are safe. I don't think people should feel concerned about ordering takeout or going to the grocery store. The frequently-touched surfaces are one of the way viruses like the coronavirus are spread. Pay attention to hand hygiene," he said. "Be safe, and be careful with hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette."

Elections and Coronavirus

During Thursday's call, Andrea Palm, Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary Designee, reiterated Evers' plans to carry out the April 7 election.

"While the elections are not directly within the mission of the Department of Health Services, I certainly know the governor is working actively to ensure it's carried out in the most equitable and fair way in the state of Wisconsin, she said. "I encourage everyone to vote absentee; the deadline is April 2. The absentee ballot is the safest way to vote."

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