DHS: 416 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases In Wisconsin

The state Department of Health Services announced 416 positive cases of COVID-19 statewide Monday, as well as 7,050 negative tests. However, the number continues to grow as counties announce positive cases.

According to the DHS website, five people have died from the new coronavirus in Wisconsin. One each in Fond du Lac and Ozaukee counties and three in Milwaukee County.

Andrea Palm, state Department of Health Services secretary, said slowing the spread of the virus through social distancing is the only way to help Wisconsin’s health care system.

“The larger the number of people who have the disease at one time, the larger the subset of those people who will have severe illness and require hospitalization,” Palm said during a press briefing Monday.

The state has received additional hospital equipment including more than 54,000 respirators and more than 130,000 face masks to help combat the virus, Palm said.

There is community spread of the new coronavirus in Brown, Columbia, Dane, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Walworth, and Waukesha counties. Community spread means there are people who have been infected with the new coronavirus are not sure how they were infected.

Gov. Tony Evers announced Monday he would issue a “stay-at-home” order Tuesday in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Further details are expected Tuesday.

During the press briefing Monday, Palm and Evers stressed the importance of the upcoming stay-at-home order and flattening the curve, meaning reducing the number of people with the virus at one time.

“Issuing a stay-at-home order isn’t something I thought we’d have to do, it’s not something I wanted to do, and it’s not something I take lightly,” Evers said. “We’re all in this together, and we need to stop the spread of COVID-19 and flatten the curve.”

On Sunday, state health officials announced a jump of 100 positive test results between Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, there were 281 positive cases. There were 381 Sunday.