Latest Covid-19 Update 3/31/20

Pete Serzant, WLIP News

KENOSHA, WI (WLIP & AP)—The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin surpassed 1,200 on Monday, the state Department of Health Services reported. The state recorded 14 deaths, but local health departments said that 20 people had died. Kenosha has at least 36 confirmed cases as of Monday while Racine has more than 20. Gov. Tony Evers urged people to continue to follow the order to stay at home. He said work was ongoing to make sure the state was ready for an expected surge of cases in coming weeks. Evers says that the worst of the pandemic is yet to come. 

Gov. Evers and state health leaders say Wisconsin is preparing to open field hospitals in anticipation of a surge in COVID-19 patients, as the number of cases is expected to peak in a week or more. Andrea Palm, secretary of the state Department of Health Services, says the effects of the stay-at-home order won’t be seen until next week. Additionally several private health firms in the state will now help process tests, something Palm says is much needed. 

The state has also set up a website for the sale or donation of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers-such as masks or gowns. That site is covid 19 supplies dot wi dot gov. 

Wisconsin’s chief medical officer for communicable diseases says that efforts to stay at home are helping to slow the growth of cases of the coronavirus in the state. Dr. Ryan Westergaard during a conference call Monday that “What we’re doing is working.” He said the state is seeing a slowing in the increase in cases, but the next two weeks will be critical.