Compiled by MCJ Editorial Staff
Like other major cities across the nation, Milwaukee is preparing for an eminent outbreak of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus.
Flanked by U.S. Cong. Gwen Moore and Milwaukee Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik during a news conference, Mayor Tom Barrett said there are still—as of this writing—no confirmed cases of the virus in Milwaukee. Nor are there any confirmed cases in Milwaukee County.
“Preparation is extremely important in the hopes that all this preparation leads to nothing,” Barrett said.
“We’ve received a number of calls and concerns from individuals in the community, so we wanted to let everybody know what’s going on,” Kowalik said. “We are preparing to have the ability to test COVID-19 for diagnostic purposes only.”
Wisconsin now has kits to do its own testing at labs in Milwaukee and Madison. Public health officials are asking the public to do their part to help stop the spread of the virus.
Kowalik said the city Health Department is in constant communication with state and federal officials when it comes to containing the disease.
The CDC aims to have every state and local health department testing for coronavirus by the end of next week.
“As COVID-19 evolves, eventually there should be a vaccine at some point, but vaccine development takes some time,” said Kowalik. Federal officials said a coronavirus vaccine could take at least a year before it is developed, proven effective, and approved.
Barrett shared an additional reminder for the community.
“As a community, we do need to be vigilant against fear and anxiety around the virus that could lead to social stigma toward Chinese or other Asian-Americans,” Barrett said. “Stigma hurts everyone by creating more fear or anger toward ordinary people.”
The city is reportedly monitoring four people who recently returned from China for coronavirus. Those individuals are in voluntary isolation at home as a safety precaution.
There was one confirmed case in Wisconsin—a Dane county patient who is now considered recovered. The Milwaukee Health Department is set up to test for the disease and isolate anyone who has it.
The recovered Dane county patient was one of 44 Wisconsinites who have been tested for the coronavirus. At least 12 patients have pending results, and 31 patients tested negative.
But the mayor and health officials continue to keep a close eye on the outbreak in Chicago, where officials in that city and Illinois announced there are seven cases of the virus.
Health officials suggest citizens wash their hands for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your face and don’t shake hands with others. Individuals who think they have been exposed to the virus are being asked not to go to the hospital emergency rooms. Doctors advise them to call the hospital’s health department to coordinate care.
Patients suspected of being exposed to the coronavirus are being asked to stay in home quarantine for at least 14 days. Many people wanting a test—simple swab of the nose and throat—may not qualify for one.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will only authorize tests for patients who have a fever and respiratory illness and have been in contact with a suspected coronavirus case; who have a fever and severe respiratory illness, such as pneumonia, and have a history of travel to restricted locations; or have a fever and severe respiratory illness requiring hospitalization with no other explanation for the illness.
Those who meet the criteria will be tested.
The Wisconsin Laboratory of Hygiene said more tests have been denied than approved in Wisconsin.
As of Sunday afternoon, 21 Americans have died from the coronavirus and eight have recovered.
There are now at least 511 confirmed cases across the country.
Sources: WTMJ 4, Fox6News, WISN12
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