Hopeful trends emerge as state collects data on virus, effects
More tests, but smaller percentage are positive
Wisconsin set a record for newly reported test results for a third straight day Thursday, and there was more good news regarding the percentage of positive cases of COVID-19.
Of 5,500 new tests conducted, 314 came back positive, increasing the state's total to 9,125 confirmed cases. With 12 more deaths, Wisconsin's total climbed to 374.
It was the seventh time in eight days that more than 300 new cases were announced by state health officials, but that was to be expected with testing ramping up considerably.
The encouraging news was that the percentage of positive test results dropped for the fourth consecutive day, trending in the direction Gov. Tony Evers has established for reopening the state. Evers' phased plan calls for statistically downward percentages of positive tests over two weeks, among five other criteria.
The state recorded that 10.1% tests were positive over a seven-day period ending Wednesday. On Thursday, 5.7% were positive — the lowest since the state stopped including repeated tests of patients in its daily totals on March 29.
Two other goals to reopen the state — declining cases among health care workers and declines in flu-like illnesses — were being met as of Thursday. Additional data measuring hospital resources are due to be released Friday.
And hospitalizations are down about 50 compared to a week earlier.
Across the U.S., there has been a total of 1.2 million cases with more than 74,000 deaths.
Wisconsin mom sues over stimulus
A Wisconsin woman who was denied the $1,200 stimulus check sent to millions of Americans to provide financial help during the pandemic filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and the IRS, claiming the exclusion violates her constitutional rights.
The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, seeks class-action status for her lawsuit, filed in federal court in Madison. It asks that a judge declare unconstitutional the provision of the CARES Act that excludes stimulus payments from going to citizens who file joint tax returns with a spouse who doesn't have a Social Security number.
Doe's complaint says her husband pays taxes but uses an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number on their joint return rather than a Social Security number, leading to them and their minor children being excluded from receiving the stimulus money.
The CARES Act provides $1,200 per U.S. citizen earning less than $75,000 annually, and $500 for each of his or her minor children.
Summer of cancellations continues
Pop star Halsey became the latest musical act to cancel a stop in Milwaukee when she pushed back her “Manic” tour until 2021.
Halsey was scheduled to play Summerfest on July 3 but instead postponed until that same date next year at the festival's American Family Insurance Amphitheater.
All tickets for this year's show will be honored on the new day. Those requesting refunds will have 30 days to do so through Ticketmaster. People who bought tickets at the Summerfest box office must wait until it reopens to receive a refund in person.
Halsey is the second Summerfest headline to reschedule for next year. The Dave Matthews Band announced it will appear on July 1, 2021.
The festival is still on for this year with rescheduled dates of Sept. 3-5, 1012 and 17-19.
Sam Hunt moved his Summerfest amphitheater show from June 26 to Sept. 4, but six other acts — including Justin Bieber, Luke Bryan and Guns N' Roses — have not announced their plans.
Another canceled event, Cedarburg's annual Strawberry Festival, will try to hold a virtual event to show support for the vendors who lost out. The new Strawberry Festival will take place on June 27 from 1 to 5 p.m. on a livestream from BoothCentral.
Festivals of Cedarburg plans to have its own booth on the platform and will provide more details about the event in the future on its Facebook page.
Child abuse reports likely deceiving
Reports of child abuse dropped by about 50% after Wisconsin schools closed due to the pandemic, according
to the Department of Children and Families, but officials fear that number could be misleading.
During stressful times for families, those required to report such abuse, such as teachers, have less contact with children who need help.
“Child abuse tends to go up when people are under more stress,” said Susan Conwell, executive director of the Milwaukee child advocacy organization Kids Matter. “More economic stress is part of that, and people being stuck at home.
“Mental health is part of the problem, and that doesn’t get easier. Alcohol abuse and drug abuse don’t just magically disappear.”
With children out of school, experts say friends and neighbors need to be vigilant for possible abuse.