MILWAUKEE (SPECTRUM NEWS) -- There's no way to tell, right now, how many people have been infected with COVID-19 because testing is still limited.  

The number of positive cases is what health experts call the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this pandemic, but a new project by 

UW-Milwaukee Epidemiologist, Amy Kalkbrenner, looks to measure what's happening with people, beyond the case count.

Kalkbrenner is with the university's Zilber School of Public Health and is an expert in thinking about things across space and over time.  She created a survey for people who believe they have COVID-19 symptoms.  That data will allow Kalkbrenner to track who was possibly infected.

She told us the survey, "..relies on large numbers of people reporting and the distribution over days and over zip code."​

So far, 200 people have completed the survey. "About 40% are reporting they wanted a test but couldn't get one.  That alone is so important.  It points to the face that people are feeling sick.  They want to know what's going on," Kalkbrenner said.

Once more data comes in, Kalkbrenner will be able to plot affected areas, down to the neighborhood level.  "If we get a sense of where people are really experiencing symptoms it might help to focus the public health response effort," she pointed out.

There are also plans to create a dashboard down the road, which will allow people to see what's going on in their community.  "So they can protect themselves and their loved ones better, and perhaps it gives them that extra incentive to really practice social distancing," Kalkbrenner explained.

If you or someone you know experienced COVID-19 symptoms, Kalkbrenner wants to hear from you on their website.  The survey is available in both English and Spanish, here.