DRIFTLESS - Over the past week COVID-19, diagnoses statewide increased from 316,758 on Monday, Nov. 16 to 357,771 on Monday, Nov. 23. That is a statewide increase of 41,013 cases. The number of deaths increased from 2,649 to 3.011, an additional 362 deaths, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
With Wisconsin hospitals at or near capacity and facing critical staffing shortages, Gov. Tony Evers on Friday declared a new state of emergency and a state of public health emergency, and issued an emergency order extending the state’s face mask requirements to Jan. 19.
According to the Monday, Nov. 23, issue of Up North News, the Wisconsin Supreme Court could rule sometime soon after hearing arguments last week in a case where the current mask safeguard—which was set to expire over the weekend before Evers extended it until Jan. 19—is being challenged as an illegal separate emergency declaration for the same coronavirus crisis.
Also on Friday, Evers met with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and new State Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) to discuss a potential legislative response to the pandemic. The Legislature has not met since April 15. Evers and GOP leadership have not met since May.
A statement from Vos called the discussion “productive,” but no definitive actions were announced.
Crawford Countysaw 163 new cases, increasing to 723. The number of deaths in the county increased from three to four.
Crawford County, which conducted 405 tests in the past week, increased 18.63 percent, from 687 Nov. 16 to 815 Sunday — 11.97 percent of tests since the pandemic began and 31.6 percent of tests in the past week — with 15 probable cases and 5,715 negative tests, according to DHS.
According to DHS, public health investigations are taking place at Prairie Maison in Prairie du Chien, Soldiers Grove Health Services, 10 workplaces, five educational facilities, two health care facilities, two long-term-care facilities, one group housing facility, and 12 “other” facilities in Crawford County.
Upcoming COVID-19 testing events in the county will be held as follows:
Hoffman Hall, 1600 S. Wacouta Ave., Prairie du Chien, Dec. 1, 12-6 p.m.
In addition, the Crawford County Public Health Department will be holding COVID-19 testing events twice a week beginning on September 14, 2020. Testing will be Mondays, 11 a.m. – 12 noon and Fridays, 9-10 a.m. at the Crawford County Administration Building parking lot, 225 N. Beaumont Rd. Prairie du Chien, WI 53821. All tests must be scheduled in advance. Call the Crawford County Public Health Department at 608-326-0229 to schedule an appointment. There is no cost to participate.
Vernon Countysaw an increase of 134 cases in the last week, increasing to 998. The number deaths increased from five to 12.
Upcoming COVID-19 testing events in the county will be held as follows:
Wednesday, Nov. 25, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Old County Highway Shop, 602 North Main Street, Viroqua. The event is open to all Vernon County residents and those in Western Wisconsin. Testing by nasal swab is free, by the Wisconsin National Guard. Participants should be prepared for a wait if lines become long. Participants must be five-years-or older.
On Friday, Nov. 20, the Kickapoo Area School District announced that case counts have nearly doubled since October 29, when their elementary students came back for a two-week period. Hospital capacity concerns are starting to emerge. As a result of the doubling of cases across area counties, the district will extend all virtual instruction until December 7.
Richland Countysaw an increase of 97 cases, increasing to 823. The number of deaths in the county increased by one to 12.
Richland County, which conducted 308 tests in the past week, increased 11.02 percent, from 726 Nov. 16 to 806 Sunday — 9.5 percent of tests since the pandemic began and 25.97 percent of tests in the past week — with 18 probable cases and 7,680 negative tests, according to DHS.
According to DHS, public health investigations are taking place at Pine Valley Community Village and Schmitt Woodland Hills in Richland Center, seven workplaces, four long-term-care facilities, three health care facilities, one educational facility, one group housing facility and one “other setting” in Richland County.
Upcoming COVID-19 testing events in the county will be held as follows:
Richland County Fairgrounds, 23630 County AA, Richland Center, Mondays 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and Thursdays 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Monroe Countysaw an increase of 344 cases in the last week, going from 2,060 to 2,404. The number of deaths in the county remained at 12.
Juneau Countysaw an increase in cases of 168, growing to 1,800. The number of deaths in the county remained at six. Of the 1,800 cases, 522 of them are at the New Lisbon Correctional Facility.
LaCrosse Countyhas continued to see an exponential increase in new cases in the last week of 952, going from 6,449 to 7,401. The number of deaths increased by one to 33.
The Coulee COVID-19 Collaborative update released on Wednesday, Nov. 18, stated: the levels of COVID-19 in our community, our county, the region and the state of Wisconsin are in crisis. The past week exceeded previous projections in the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19. Key metrics have yet again moved the wrong direction. One in three people tested for COVID-19 in our county tests positive. Hospitals are in distress. Public health departments cannot keep up.
The need for action by the community is urgent. Without action the worst is yet to come. Talk to your staff and coworkers, talk to your family and friends. This is tough and it is tiring, but your actions save lives. It only works if we do it together. Our community must come together to slow this down.
Individuals and Families
Personal gatherings continue to cause significant numbers of cases. Gatherings prior to hunting trips and religious and cultural gatherings were most prevalent this week. This past week also saw multiple exposures as a result of time spent in a bar, particularly among patrons not wearing masks or physical distancing.
For Individuals and Families, the Coulee COVID-19 Collaborative recommends all people:
• Stay home.
• If you leave your home, do it for the essentials and nothing else.
• Cancel all travel and social gatherings. Do not interact with people you do not live with.
• Support local businesses by ordering take-out for a meal or picking up items curbside.
• Avoid all businesses or locations that are not following recommendations on masks, physical distancing and capacity limits.
• Make plans for safer holiday gatherings. Thanksgiving celebrations held between multiple households are not recommended.
• Wear a mask.
• Indoors and out, anytime you’re around someone who does not live with you.
• Practice physical distancing if you must be in contact with others – stay 6 feet apart.
• Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face.
• Use hand sanitizer if a sink is not available.
• Get tested. Know your status.
• Call your health care provider or visit a community testing site.
• At community testing sites anyone can be tested – symptoms or not.
• If you test positive isolate immediately, complete our case form, and notify your contacts.
• If you have symptoms or are a contact of a positive, quarantine while you wait for your results.
• Get your flu shot. The flu shot does not protect against COVID-19, but by protecting you from the flu, we keep the number of people needing hospitalizations due to flu down.
• Be a leader in your circle.
• Check in on family and friends with a call or online chat. Talk about the importance of following these safety precautions.
• Have the courage to challenge misinformation and share helpful resources.
Grant Countyhas seen an increase of 261 cases in the last week, going from 3,006 to 3,267. The number of deaths in the county increased by five to 59.
Grant County’s total of positive tests increased 6.55 percent, from 3,006 Nov. 16 to 3,249 Sunday — 14.72 percent of those tested since the pandemic began, and 27.44 percent of those tested in the past week — with 205 “probable” cases and 2,672 recoveries according to the Grant County Health Department, and 18,820 negative tests according to the state Department of Health Services.
Grant County conducted 718 tests in the past week, according to DHS.
According to DHS, public health investigations of outbreaks are taking place at Orchard Manor in Lancaster, Divine Nursing and Rehab in Fennimore, Epione Pavilion in Cuba City, St. Dominic Villa in Sinsinawa, and Riverdale Health Care Center in Muscoda. Active investigations are also taking place at eight workplaces, seven long-term-care facilities, five educational facilities, four group housing facilities, one health care facility and four “other” settings, according to DHS.
Lafayette Countyhas seen an increase of 95 cases in the last week, increasing to 998. The number of deaths in the county increased by one to three.
Lafayette County’s positive COVID tests increased from 929 Nov. 16 to 1,022 Sunday — 16.7 percent of those tested since the pandemic began, and 37.2 percent in the past week — with 716 recovered, according to the Lafayette County Health Department, and 21 “probable” cases and 5,099 negative tests, according to DHS. Lafayette County conducted 250 tests in the past week, according to DHS.
Public health investigations are being conducted at Lafayette Manor in Darlington, 10 Lafayette County workplaces, five educational facilities, two long-term-care facilities and one “other” setting, according to DHS.
Iowa Countyhas seen an increase of 221 cases in the last week, increasing to 1,184. The number of deaths in the county remained at four.
Iowa County’s positive tests increased from 976 Nov. 16 to 1,180 Sunday, according to the Iowa County Health Department — 12.11 percent since the pandemic began and 31.88 percent in the past week — with 36 “probable” tests and 5,099 negative tests, according to DHS. Iowa County conducted 640 tests in the past week.
According to DHS, investigations are taking place at Bloomfield Health & Rehabilitation Center in Dodgeville, Mineral Point Health Services, Upland Hills Nursing and Rehab Center in Dodgeville, nine Iowa County workplaces, six educational facilities, five long-term-care facilities, one group housing facility and one “other” setting.
