106 Wisconsin Coronavirus Cases; Evers Orders Childcare Limits

MADISON, WI — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has announced new guidelines for child care settings amid the coronavirus outbreak. The guidelines come a day after Evers ordered dine-in restaurants to close and limited public gatherings to no more than ten people

On Wednesday afternoon, Wisconsin health officials delivered the latest confirmed case reports. Milwaukee County saw 23 new cases overnight. Dane County saw four new cases. Washington County saw two new cases. La Crosse, Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, Brown and Washington Counties all saw one new case overnight. That brings that state's total to 106, up from 72 on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Evers directed Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to restrict the size of all child care settings. Centers may not operate with more than 10 staff present at a time and may not operate with more than 50 children present at a time.

“I know many Wisconsinites are looking for ways to help during this crisis,” Evers continued. “If you are able, keeping your kids at home is one of the actions you can take to have the most impact. I also want to recognize the child care providers around the state who are stepping up to support our communities-- we appreciate your service during this challenging time.”

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The restriction in size goes into effect at 8 a.m. on Thursday to give child care providers and families time to make plans for care moving forward. The closure will remain in effect for the duration of the public health emergency declared by Executive Order #72.

“Child care is an essential service for many of the folks working on the front lines to provide healthcare and vital services to our communities during the COVID-19 outbreak,” Evers said. “This is another step forward to ensure that service continues, while protecting our child care providers who are going above and beyond their regular duties to support our families, communities, and state.”

Providers are being asked to prioritize families of healthcare and essential service providers, using good faith to determine who those families are. Those using care who can keep their children at home are being asked to do so.

The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF) and DHS have updated guidance for providers to implement this emergency order.

Additionally, the administration is working with health care providers, child care providers, and the National Guard to explore options to serve health care workers through on-site care. It is important that these facilities are able to provide the same level of care and health precautions for staff and children. More information on this effort will be available in the coming days.

Testing Kit Shortages

Palm said the state will be prioritizing testing for COVID-19 because of a shortage of ingredients needed to run the tests.

"Many states across the country are grappling with this same problem," Palm said. "We have been working with partners in the private sector and public universities to try to get the ingredients needed to run these tests. We are working with our partners to ensure that we can continue to run testing."

"The state public health lab can now test 400 cases per day, seven days per week," Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer and State Epidemiologists for Communicable Diseases at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, said Monday.

Westergaard said there is not enough capacity to test everyone who has a wide variety of symptoms. Most of people who have a cold, Westergaard said, should self-isolate.

"We must prioritize for people who have been hospitalized," he said.

Safeguard Against Virus Spread

People should follow simple steps to prevent illness and avoid exposure to this virus including:

• Frequent and thorough hand washing with soap and water;
• Covering coughs and sneezes;
• Avoiding touching your face; and
• Staying home when sick.

What To Do If You Think You Have COVID-19

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, if residents have questions or immediate needs related to COVID-19, they can:

• Text COVID19 to 211-211
• Visit 211Wisconsin.org
• Call 211

State health officials said that call volumes are high, and to please be patient and try to use the text or online options first. If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of COVID-19, please call your health care provider, health officials said.

"To prevent illness, wash your hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, clean frequently touched surfaces every day, and stay home when you are sick. Learn the best way to protect yourself and those around you from respiratory illnesses," health officials said.