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Overwhelmed Dane County health officials are moving to a “crisis model” of contact tracing, David Wahlberg of the Wisconsin State Journal reports.
That means contact tracers may no longer interview everyone who tests positive for the coronavirus and notify everyone who may have been exposed. Contract tracing teams can’t keep up with the volume, Wahlberg reports.
The news comes as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to surge statewide, and Republican lawmakers resist Gov. Tony Evers’ regulatory efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus.
The Wisconsin Department of Health services on Wednesday reported 48 additional deaths linked to COVID-19 — the highest daily total during the pandemic. DHS has documented 1,681 deaths since March.
“Contact tracing efforts are overwhelmed around the state, making it harder to identify the source of infections and reduce the spread,” Wahlberg reports.
Top Stories
With COVID-19 cases rising, Dane County contact tracing starts ‘crisis model’ — Wisconsin State Journal
‘Our economy is going to tank,’ Evers warns as coronavirus surge in Wisconsin shows no end in sight — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Madison City Council rejects calling on UW-Madison to move classes online, close dorms, reconsider football — Wisconsin State Journal
Alternate care facility admits first COVID-19 patient — WPR
Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, who heads a health panel, contends there is nothing more the government can do to fight COVID-19 — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee Health Department re-evaluating reopening plan after increase in cases and positivity rate — WISN
Winnebago County tables COVID-19 ordinance to give health officer enforcement powers to fight spread — Oshkosh Northwestern
How are Dane County districts with in-person learning doing with COVID-19? — Cap Times
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.
Quotable
“If we continue to make excuses for not doing this, we will have more deaths, we will have more people with COVID-19, and frankly, we will have a lot less economic activity in the state of Wisconsin. This is a critical time, folks.”
— Gov. Tony Evers, quoted by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel at a news conference
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsWI now has 8/10 of the top metro areas in the US with the most new cases, according to @nytimes. The virus is not letting up in WI, in fact it’s accelerating and getting worse. Time to mask up, wash hands, and social distance when possible. #STOPthecovidspread pic.twitter.com/G1X8bGOVia
— Wisconsin Hospital Association (@WIHospitalAssn) October 21, 2020
Food access trouble?
We know that when classes are virtual, many Wisconsin students and families lose access to food schools provide. And as the school year starts, some meal sites are closing. Share your experience with News414, Wisconsin Watch’s service journalism collaboration with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service and Outlier Media. Click here for details.
You can also view a list of Milwaukee-area food distribution sites for students here.
Data to note
DHS on Wednesday released a new interactive data dashboard that shows COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths by race and ethnicity. A growing body of research shows that people of color disproportionately suffer burdens from the disease — a national trend that is also true in Wisconsin.
https://bi.wisconsin.gov/javascripts/api/viz_v1.jsResilient 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.
Goodwill is helping people with disabilities get back to work, safely — WTMJ-TV
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.
