Wisconsin reported 2,319 new coronavirus cases, with 27 additional deaths Wednesday. The number of deaths Wednesday set a new record.
Wisconsin hospital officials report they’re close to being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients, forcing doctors to transfer patients to other facilities and build waiting lists. The Wisconsin Hospital Association and state health officials reported a record 737 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized as of Wednesday.
The state’s positivity rate is 9.4%.
Gov. Tony Evers is asking the president to either skip the rallies or require his supporters to wear masks.
Over the course of the pandemic, 122,274 people have tested positive for the coronavirus. About 82% of those people have recovered, while over 20,000 have active infections and 1,327 have died.
Wisconsin among several states added back on Chicago’s emergency travel order
Evers is urging people throughout Wisconsin to “get on the same team” and take steps to slow the spread of the coronavirus, as cases continue to soar at the state’s highest levels since the pandemic began.
Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Wisconsin’s chief medical officer, said Tuesday that the state is in “crisis.”
Health officials said late teens and early 20s are the fastest growing demographic for COVID-19 in Wisconsin.
It has been a real problem since the start of school at places like the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
“Overall it’s hard to tell 18 to 22 year olds they can’t go out or see friends,” said Lola Wallace, a UW-Madison sophomore.
Wisconsin health officials said the state has few restrictions since a state Supreme Court ruling this spring struck down the state’s stay-at-home order and allowed businesses to open up at full capacity.
There are few restrictions in place in Wisconsin other than a mandate for wearing masks.
Joe Parisi is chief administrator for the county where the University of Wisconsin is located.
“One of the biggest challenges that we have is that some people just don’t believe that this is a serious disease, even to this day,” Parisi said. “And in Wisconsin, unfortunately, we have somewhat of a dysfunctional state government.”
Students on campus said they believe the university is getting the situation under control and number of cases there is now decreasing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Source: ABC7 Chicago
