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Today we highlight a grim milestone: More than 1,000 students and employees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have tested positive for COVID-19 since Aug. 6. According to the UW-Madison, as of Wednesday, 1,044 students and 26 employees had tested positive. The rapidly growing outbreak has prompted the campus to restrict in-person social gatherings for two weeks among undergraduate students who make up the bulk of the infections. And all sorority and fraternity members living in Greek housing have been ordered to be tested.
Public Health Madison Dane County warned in a tweet that anyone who lives or visits downtown Madison, which includes part of the campus, “should assume you were exposed to COVID-19 and monitor yourself for symptoms.” And Dane County Executive Joe Parisi is asking the university to send students living in residence halls home.
UW-Eau Claire also is dealing with an outbreak, announcing quarantines of six residence hall wings.
Top Stories
UW-Madison reports more than 1,000 COVID-19 cases, as students told to ‘severely limit’ interactions — WPR
Dane County leader asks UW-Madison to consider sending students in dorms home — Wisconsin State Journal
UW sets, breaks coronavirus records over holiday weekend, forcing stay-at-home order — Cap Times
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire quarantines six dorm wings just days into the fall semester — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Steil calls for investigation of Union Grove veterans home where 10 people with COVID have died — Racine Journal Times
Evers asks FEMA to rescind new rules on PPE — WPR
Brodhead High School COVID-19 outbreak prompts switch to virtual learning — WKOW
SD governor criticizes study suggesting Sturgis bike rally led to 260,000 COVID-19 cases — Sioux Falls Argus Leader
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Quotable
“Unfortunately, too many students have chosen to host or participate in social gatherings that seem to demonstrate a high disregard for the seriousness of this virus and the risk to our entire community.”
— UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank, announcing new restrictions on undergraduate students as COVID-19 cases on campus rise sharply
Data to note
Source: Smart Restart dashboard, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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.
Milwaukee restaurant to start providing meals and tutoring to students — CBS 58
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.
