Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on government integrity and quality of life issues, and we always provide our news for free.
You can read all of our coronavirus/COVID-19 coverage by signing up for our Wisconsin COVID-19 Update newsletter, and please consider becoming a member to support our nonprofit journalism.
Today we highlight the first installment of our new collaboration with WPR: Outbreak Wisconsin, which will closely follow Wisconsin residents as they navigate life during the coronavirus pandemic. The first Wisconsinite we’re following: Mariah Clark, who is an emergency nurse and much more.
We also highlight a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story about families who say they have not heard from Milwaukee health officials after being exposed to coronavirus, raising questions about the city’s contact tracing efforts. Public health experts have called strong contact tracing a key ingredient needed for Wisconsin to eventually restart public life after its pandemic-induced shutdown.
Top stories
Outbreak Wisconsin follows residents as they navigate life during the coronavirus pandemic — Wisconsin Watch
Introducing Mariah Clark: Blacksmith, tall-ship sailor and emergency room nurse — Wisconsin Watch
‘Nobody is connecting the dots.’ Milwaukee COVID-19 victims say they never heard from city Health Department — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
19 spring election voters, poll workers contract COVID-19 coronavirus; ties to election uncertain — Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin stay-at-home order protesters vow to rally without permit — Wisconsin State Journal
State reports more than 400 COVID-19 cases in long-term care, group facilities — WPR
Officials confirm 17 COVID-19 cases at Grant County long-term-care facility — Telegraph Herald
What are we missing? And how are you coping? Help us provide critical information and accountability by filling out this form or emailing us at tips@wisconsinwatch.org.
Government updates
Wisconsin Department of Health Services
U.S. Centers and Disease Control and Prevention
Live updates
Live coverage from USA Today-Wisconsin reporters
Live coverage from Wisconsin State Journal reporters
Quotable
“But there’s no magic elixir or Hogwarts spell. Unfortunately, we can’t simply wave a wand and conjure effective therapies and a vaccine. Instead, we all have to work together, to stretch our health care resources as far as they will go while buying time for scientists to search for a cure. Social distancing has caused severe economic pain, both for individuals and nationwide, but for now, ‘safer at home’ policies are the only potion we have in the fight against COVID-19.”
Aaron Olver, managing director of University Research Park in Madison, writing for the Appleton Post-Crescent about his experience surviving H1N1 in 2009.
Data to note
Brown County reported 511 COVID-19 cases Thursday, the Green Bay Press-Gazette reported — including 267 cases from three meat processing facilities.
At least 2,200 workers at 48 U.S. meatpacking plants have been diagnosed with the virus, according to a Wednesday report by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting and USA Today. “And it could get worse. More than 150 of America’s largest meat processing plants operate in counties where the rate of coronavirus infection is already among the nation’s highest,” the news outlets reported.
Resilient Wisconsin
People helping others and showing resilience during this time of anxiety. Send suggestions by tagging us on social media — @wisconsinwatch — or emailing us: tips@wisconsinwatch.org.
Community Heroes: How one family is using their tailoring skills to make free masks for the community — Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Dating during the coronavirus pandemic? How does that even work? Take this survey — USA Today Network-Wisconsin
Access to some stories listed in the Wisconsin COVID-19 Update may be limited to subscribers of the news organizations that produced them. We urge our readers to consider supporting these important news outlets by subscribing.
The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (wisconsinwatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
