Wisconsin Coronavirus 'Stay-At-Home' Order Coming Tuesday: Evers

MILWAUKEE, WI — Gov. Tony Evers said he will issue a "safer at home" order Tuesday amid the coronavirus outbreak as the number of cases in the state nearly doubled over the weekend.

Evers, who announced the move Monday on his official Twitter feed, said he will order the closing of all nonessential businesses while urging people to stay home. Evers and state health officials hope the order will help slow the spread of COVID-19 in Wisconsin.

"I know this has been difficult and has disrupted the lives of people across our state," Evers wrote Monday morning on his official Twitter feed. "That’s why issuing a [safer at home] order isn’t something I thought we’d have to do, and it’s not something I take lightly. But here’s the bottom line: Folks need to start taking this seriously."

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Evers said the order would take effect Tuesday. An end date to the order has not been set, nor are there any indications how the order would impact Wisconsin's April 7 presidential preference primary. That April 7 election date also features scores of state, county and local elections.

Under the order, Evers said people will still be able to perform essential trips, such as going to the doctor, getting groceries, getting medication and even walking their dogs.

"There will be additional details soon about what this order means for you, but I wanted to give everyone the opportunity to prepare and plan ahead so you can help do your part to keep our friends, neighbors and communities safe," Evers wrote.

According to a JSOnline report Monday morning, Evers decided to call the order a "stay-at-home" order as opposed to a "shelter-in-place" order to prevent people from thinking that martial law was being imposed.

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Wisconsin Cases Nearly Double Over The Weekend

According to the state Department of Health Services, there were 381 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin as of Sunday, up from 206 cases reported Friday afternoon.

A fourth person has died as a result of the ongoing new coronavirus outbreak in Wisconsin, officials said. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the death on Twitter, stating the victim was a 69-year-old man who had been hospitalized for several days prior to his death.

On Thursday, health officials confirmed that a Fond du Lac man in his 50s and an Ozaukee County man in his 90s both died from the COVID-19 virus. On Friday, officials confirmed that a man in his 60s died from the virus in Milwaukee County.