The state Department of Health Services announced Friday there are 842 positive cases of COVID-19 statewide, as well as 13,140 negative tests. However, the number continues to grow as counties announce positive cases.
According to figures from DHS and local health officials, 14 people in Wisconsin have died of COVID-19 as of Friday morning. There has been one death each in Fond du Lac, Iron and Dane counties, three in Ozaukee County, and eight in Milwaukee County.
Between Thursday and Friday, the number of positive cases jumped by 135, and the number of negative test results increased by 1,557.
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In a media briefing Friday, DHS Secretary Andrea Palm said there are likely many more people who have the virus, but haven’t been tested or aren’t showing symptoms.
“It is certainly safe to assume that there are more than our positive number of cases considering the prioritizing we are doing to assure that our frontline health care workers and those in hospitals and long-term care are getting tests,” she said.
Gov. Tony Evers issued a “stay-at-home” order Tuesday in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. The order went into effect at 8 a.m. Wednesday, and restricts travel and the operation of non-essential businesses, until April 24.
Without further restrictions on movement, DHS officials said they believe 22,000 residents would test positive for COVID-19 by April 8, and 440 to 1,500 people would die from the disease.
Ryan Westergaard, DHS chief medical officer, said even people in counties without large numbers of cases should take proactive measures to slow the spread.
“I would characterize the risk in all Wisconsin counties as high,” he said.
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