by Kevin Zimmermann
SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) – The pace of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Sheboygan County makes a visible rise on various data made available through the County Division of Public Health, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and the State Department of Health Services.
The daily update from the county adds another 169 cases to the running total, now at 2,046. 101 of those positive tests were the product of a facility-wide investigation underway at the Kettle Moraine Correctional Institution.
Different sources post different numbers from KMCI. On Wednesday, the County DPH noted that it takes time from Department of Corrections data to propagate to the County Coronavirus Dashboard. Thursday’s daily update from the county attributes 364 confirmed COVID-19 cases to KMCI; the DOC Dashboard lists 558 positives as of 10/1, thus the county total of 2,046 is likely to be revised. KMCI cases don’t contribute to the county “active” roll, which is up 54 from Wednesday to 239, a new high for the run of the pandemic. 12 of those cases are currently hospitalized.
Excluding KMCI figures, 68 positive tests out of a pool of 442 yields a positive return rate of about 15.4%. Another 14 persons recovered here since Wednesday, and there have been no deaths since the two reported Wednesday.
Wisconsin positive test returns in the last 24-hours numbered 2,887, a new high daily record. With 11,434 tests coming back negative, the positive rate has reached 20%. 21 deaths were reported, compared with yesterday’s daily high of 27. 109 new hospitalizations were logged, also a new high, contributing to a total COVID-19 patient population in the state of 683. 190 more are hospitalized but awaiting test confirmation of the coronavirus. 198 COVID-19 patients are in the ICU, and 375 person in all require ventilators to survive.
With the completion of September, the rise in case numbers among those 20-59 years old was vividly displayed in the graph included by the county in its daily report. The data that’s displayed as Cases Per Month by Age Group indicated that the case count of those between 20 and 39 was 343, while those 40-59 saw 279 new cases in September. Other cases per age groups were 98 for those 60-79, 65 for 19 & under, and 21 for those 80 and older.
The weekly facility-wide investigation report indicates that 18 Educational Institutions are having contact tracing and testing done to track the spread of the coronavirus. Those are:
- Cedar Grove Elementary
- Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah High
- Grant Elementary
- Howards Grove High
- Kohler High
- Longfellow Elementary
- Oostburg Middle/High
- Plymouth High
- Random Lake High
- Random Lake Middle
- Sheboygan Falls Elementary
- Sheboygan Falls Middle
- Sheboygan Falls High
- Sheboygan Central High
- Sheboygan North High
- Sheboygan South High
- Sheboygan Lutheran High
- Sheridan Elementary
8 Long-Term Care facilities are hosting investigations, as is one Group Housing Facility. Additionally, 3 non-healthcare workplace investigations are underway, and one is being conducted at an “Other Setting.”
6 Skilled Nursing Long-term Care facilities with active investigations were named, those being:
- Pine Haven-Haven Drive Campus
- Rocky Knoll Health Care Center
- Sunny Ridge Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
- Meadowview Health Services
- Morningside Health Services
- Plymouth Health Services
Governor Evers and DPH Secretary-designee Andrea Palm on Thursday jointly issued Emergency Order #2 to “Aid our Healthcare Facilities to Provide Treatment to Wisconsinites Impacted by COVID-19.”
The order provides for temporary interstate license reciprocity for healthcare providers to work in Wisconsin healthcare facilities, extends licenses that may expire during the federal emergency declaration for 30 days after its conclusion, and makes it easier for healthcare providers with a recently lapsed license to apply for a reinstatement with the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). Out-of-state physicians can also practice telemedicine in Wisconsin with proper notification of DSPS.
The order is effective immediately and will remain in effect for the duration of the current declared federal public health emergency and renewals or until a superseding order is issued by Gov. Evers or Secretary-designee Palm.
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