Wisconsin Coronavirus Cases Climb To 206; 3 Deaths Reported

MILWAUKEE, WI — State health officials say a third person has died from the new coronavirus, COVID-19, and that the confirmed number of cases in Wisconsin have topped 200. Officials are urging the public to stay at home as much as possible to help prevent the spread of the virus, which has now spread to eight additional counties in the state.

Milwaukee County saw the biggest increase overnight, with 23 new cases reported. Dane County reported five new cases and Waukesha County reported three cases. Several counties reported new confirmed cases for the first time, including Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Green, Jefferson, Marathon, Rock and St. Croix Counties.

Wisconsin has confirmed the state's first three deaths from the virus. On Thursday night, health officials confirmed that a Fond du Lac man in his 50s and an Ozaukee County man in his 90s both died from the virus. On Friday, officials confirmed that a man in his 60s died from the virus in Milwaukee County.

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On Friday, Andrea Palm, the department of health's secretary designee, urged people to practice social distancing in their daily lives. Wisconsin officials have not formally issued any "shelter in-place" orders that are imminent in other states like Illinois.

"I believe we will be able to avoid that, I believe people in the State of Wisconsin are taking this seriously," Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said Friday afternoon. "We will follow the science on that, but we believe that people will moderate their behavior."

"People should not travel unnecessarily, we should each cancel our non-essential appointments, prepare for the increased need of our health care system. Please call your friends and family. Talk through it," she said.

Related Reading
Wisconsin Coronavirus Tracker, Map (entire state)

Milwaukee County Coronavirus Tracker

"This has been hard, and I'm sorry to say that we expect the situation to worsen. We know what we've seen from other states and other countries that COVID-19 will affect thousands of Wisconsinites," Palm said during a Friday afternoon teleconference. "Most of these cases will be mild, but for some of us including our most vulnerable, outcomes will be more severe."

On Thursday, the department notified health care providers across the state that the supply of personal protective equipment such as masks that will be sent to the state from the federal Strategic Stockpile won't be enough to meet the needs of state health care facilities at surge capacity.

"This obviously very concerning to us, and the governor and I continue to look for ways to mitigate the shortages and protect those who are on the front lines, taking care of sick people," Palm said.

Unemployment Is Focus Of State's Most Recent Orders

On Thursday, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development said they're encouraging people to go online for faster delivery of unemployment benefits after people have been flooding the department's phone lines with requests. Wisconsin Patch has published an article with new recommendations on how to claim unemployment benefits online.

No new executive orders were issued Friday, but on Wednesday, Evers issued his most recent one, waiving work search requirements while also modifying the availability requirements for unemployment insurance benefits for workers who have been impacted by COVID-19.

Under the emergency order, the state waives the requirement that unemployment insurance claimants conduct at least four weekly work search actions during the COVID-19 emergency. This order also guarantees that claimants who are otherwise eligible but out of work due to COVID-19 are considered available for work and therefore eligible for benefits.

The order went into effect immediately Wednesday, and will remain in effect for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency, state officials said.

"This emergency order follows the federal guidance related to administering unemployment insurance benefit claims during the pandemic period and allows the program to support our workers who have been affected," Evers said. "Many Wisconsin workers are facing financial burden and stress due to the COVID-19 outbreak and this order will help them access some additional support. My Administration plans to continue to work with state legislators and our federal partners on initiatives to help impacted workers."

Child Care Centers Limited

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."

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.