MADISON, Wis.— Wisconsin's Governor Tony Evers (D) and top state health officials are urging people to take every precaution against coronavirus as case numbers continue to climb around the state.
In a call with reporters Tuesday, health officials warned that Wisconsinites need to change their habits now to prevent death numbers from climbing quickly.
“We are in a crisis right now,” said Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer for the Bureau of Communicable Diseases. “Turning a corner on this requires we do things dramatically different than what we are doing, it requires all of society, all of Wisconsin to do things differently to reduce the transmission.”
Wisconsin DHS reported 2,367 new positive coronavirus cases on Tuesday, with a daily positivity rate of 22 percent. Evers told reporters that many people in the state weren't taking coronavirus seriously.
“At the end of the day people have to understand this is important,” Evers said. “We have hospitals in northeast Wisconsin that are close to capacity, we have the largest numbers ever.”
Cases are straining healthcare and public health resources as hospitalizations continue to climb.
Evers urged people to not only wear masks, but social distance and cut down on risk of exposure. He's asking people to cancel things like barbecues and watch parties, and to avoid events.
“We are nine months into this pandemic and right now it's not slowing down, it's picking up speed,” Evers said. “We have got to put the breaks on this pandemic.”
On Tuesday Door County became the latest county public health system to notify people they would not be able to keep up with contact tracing. Counties in central Wisconsin such as Marathon County put out a similar message last week.
Andrea Palm, DHS Secretary Designee, said local health departments have received money from the state to hire contact tracers and DHS has contact tracers hired to help in a surge capacity. Palm said the state contact tracing staff is stretched thin too.
“Our workload is tremendous as well as we try to back up local public health to meet their needs,” Palm said. “So the system as a whole is absolutely maxed out right now.”
Palm said DHS is working on hiring more contact tracers.
Evers expressed concern when asked about President Donald Trump's planned visits to Wisconsin this weekend. Trump plans on holding campaign rallies in La Crosse and Green Bay — two places currently experiencing high coronavirus activity. Some hospital managers in the Green Bay area voiced concern Tuesday about the dwindling number of hospital beds available. Evers said there are two things Trump could do to help prevent the spread of the virus.
“Number one he could not come,” Evers said. “The second thing that could be done is he could insist people that if people are there they wear a mask. He could make that happen, he could wear one too, but those are the two things he could do to make sure that it doesn't become a super spreader event.”
The Trump Campaign said the rallies will have other safetyy precautions.
“Americans are enthusiastic for President Trump’s re-election, and they want to and have a right to gather under the First Amendment to hear from the President of the United States," said Courtney Parella, deputy national press secretary in a statement. "For the President’s outdoor events in Wisconsin, like his other campaign events, everyone attending will receive a temperature check, be provided a mask they are encouraged to wear and have access to plenty of hand sanitizer.”