Virus tests set record, disparities continue
Percent-positive drops, still high for minorities
As Wisconsin’s summer of cancellations continued with the State Fair announcement, the state had another record day for coronavirus tests.
Of more than 10,600 test results released Thursday, only 4.8% were positive for the coronavirus, down from 5.8% on Wednesday, when there were 599 positives.
The percent positive continues to be lower than the 8% seen last week and lower than the state’s 7.1% cumulative percent-positive rate since testing began.
Another 11 people have died from COVID-19, bringing the state’s death toll to 550 people.
In Milwaukee County, officials remained concerned about continuing racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 cases and deaths.
As of Thursday, a third of all confirmed coronavirus cases in the county involved patients who identify as Latino or Hispanic. Latinos make up only about 15% of the county’s population.
“We see that we now have more cases in our Hispanic population than any other race or ethnicity,” said Ben Weston, medical services director for Milwaukee County’s Office of Emergency Management.
Officials are still waiting on a large number of tests from the free National Guard testing site on the city’s south side, which has clusters of cases. That testing data will lead “to increased understanding of the true burden of disease in that community,” Weston said.
He said one reason for the disparity may be the high number of essential workers in the Hispanic community. Those workers often have jobs with low pay and without paid sick time that require employees to leave their homes and interact with the public.
“Essential workers are deemed essential because they’re on the front line every day, so that everyone around them can live their lives,” he said. “Rather than stigmatize, we can work to gain understanding of the burden of disease in the Hispanic community and provide resources.”
Milwaukee County seeks more federal aid
Milwaukee County leaders had sought $103 million in federal CARES Act funding from the state, saying the county had experienced “disproportionately high costs” in dollars and lives.
Instead, Gov. Tony Evers has decided to give the county a fraction of that — $15.4 million.
A total of $200 million was available to local governments and federally recognized tribes in the state.
“Without additional aid that reflects the disproportionately heavy costs incurred by Milwaukee County, our
residents — especially people of color — will continue to suffer an unjust burden, and racial disparities in health will continue to get worse,” County Executive David Crowley and County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson said Thursday in a news release.
County officials also have argued that Evers should send the county the $103 million because the U.S. Treasury Department reallocated the funds from the county to the state.
The County Board on Thursday gave a temporary reprieve to property owners who pay taxes in installments.
The board unanimously approved a measure allowing the county’s municipalities to waive interest and penalties on property tax installments unpaid after March 31 as long as the payments are made by Oct. 1.
Under state law, if the measure wins approval at the county level, municipalities must then pass their own, similar legislation permitting the deferments.
The waiver would not apply retroactively
“The reason that we have made this pause is we’ve described ... some challenges with getting the test results. ... We want to make sure that there’s a quicker turnaround time for those tests.” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett
to missed or late payments for property tax installments due before April 1.
Testing continues to ramp up
Testing continues to expand across Wisconsin.
CVS Health announced it is rolling out seven new self-swab test sites Friday, including locations in Milwaukee.
An appointment is required and can be made online at CVS.com. Patients will be required to use the pharmacy drive-thru to pick up the test kit and instructions. A CVS pharmacy representative will watch the self-swab process to make it was done correctly. Results should be available in about three days.
The North Shore Health Department, in conjunction with the WashingtonOzaukee County Health Department and Wisconsin National Guard, will have free COVID-19 drive-thru testing clinics in the area.
More than 600 National Guardsmen are currently working at mobile testing sites throughout the state including teams in several counties. Tens of thousands of COVID-19 tests have been collected at numerous sites since April.
In Milwaukee, a free drive-thru testing cite run by the Guard remains open at UMOS, 2701 S. Chase Ave., where anyone can get a test regardless of symptoms.
Another free testing site in Midtown had closed, but officials expect to announce a second site on the city’s north side in the next day or two.
“The reason that we have made this pause is we’ve described ... some challenges with getting the test results,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said Thursday.
The tests were processed at a private lab in Madison and the large volume apparently led to a delay in getting results, Barrett said.
“We want to make sure that there’s a quicker turnaround time for those tests,” he said.
Local health officials also continues to evaluate data to determine if the city is ready move to the next phase of reopening and more details could come as soon as Friday, Barrett said.
Although many businesses can open with limited capacity and other precautions, restaurants and bars remain closed for in-person dining.
Alison Dirr, JR Radcliffe, Mike De Sisti and Meg Jones of the Journal Sentinel staff and Matt Piper of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin contributed to this report.
Contact Ashley Luthern at ashley.luthern@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @aluthern.