Department of Health Services

Why Aren’t More COVID-19 Tests Given?

More available now, but other factors may limit use, says Department of Health Services official.

Council Okays Fines for “Safer at Home” Violators

107 arrests so far by Milwaukee Police; now can issue fines of $500 to enforce state order.

Biggest One Day COVID-19 Case Increase in Wisconsin

Meatpacking and food processing plant outbreaks create disease clusters beyond Milwaukee County.

Wisconsin Was a Leader in 1918 Epidemic

Only state to do a widescale shutdown, and had a mortality rate far lower than the national average.

Supreme Court Asked to Block State Shutdown

Republican legislators charge that ’Safer At Home’ order will leave state “in shambles.”

COVID-19 Testing Slows

State reports declining testing totals four days in a row, while positive test rate remains steady.

Some Sheriffs, Police Question Evers’ Shutdown

"For those not afraid of the Devil,” says one police chief, social distancing may not be needed.

State Still Not Using Full Testing Capacity

Death toll from COVID-19 grows to 230, 132 in Milwaukee County.

Evers Releases ‘Badger Bounce Back’ Plan

Lays out six criteria for reopening economy, getting Wisconsin back to work.

Demand for Food Assistance Doubles in State

Food share applications rise by 5,000 per week, food banks balance face shrinking supply.

New Data Shows Steady COVID-19 Growth, Nine More Confirmed Deaths

Number of people tested, percentage testing positive and other figures remain consistent throughout April.

State Reports 154 New COVID-19 Cases

New positive case total is just below April daily average.

Evers Calls For Federal Aid As Revenues Decline

State revenues are being decimated by the economic shutdown.

Healthcare Orgs Support Safer At Home Extension

More than a dozen major organizations in Wisconsin signed letter praising the extension.

Wisconsin Passes 4,000 COVID-19 Cases, 200 Deaths

Statewide ventilator use drops

Racine County Sheriff’s Office Statement on DHS Emergency Orders

State Still Reviewing Triage Guidelines for Ventilators

Committee has more time to decide how scarce medical equipment will be used.

Gov. Evers Signs Senate Bill 605 Expanding Access to Standing Technology for Individuals with Disabilities

The MacIver Institute: Governor Evers Is Wrong To Extend “Safer at Home”

The Permanent Damage That Extending “Safer at Home” Order Will Inflict On Our Families, Friends And Neighbors Is Not Supported By Science Or Common Sense

WMC Statement on Gov. Evers’ Safer at Home Extension

Reopen Wisconsin Rally Planned

A group is organizing a protest of the stay at home order, much like the one in Michigan.

Officials Want Physicians To Request More COVID-19 Tests

Testing capacity is more than triple what's being requested. Officials want doctors to test more people.

Evers Joins Six Governors in Planning Reopening

Wisconsin partners with Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky.

Wisconsin’s COVID-19 Testing Capacity Doubles In Past Week

Twenty-nine labs can now process a total of 7,578 tests per day

Evers Extends “Safer at Home” Until May 26th, Loosens Restrictions

Golf courses can open, but the school year is canceled.

Gov. Evers Directs DHS to Extend Wisconsin’s Safer at Home Order

Healthcare Workers Want PPE, Sick Pay, Hazard Pay

17 percent of COVID-19 cases statewide are healthcare workers. They are calling on the Legislature to help them.

166 New Cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin, 3,721 Total

Death toll reaches 182

Sebring Calls for End to Closure of Businesses

Assembly Bill Responds to Pandemic

Passes 97-2 but Hintz says more needed. "I refuse to admit this is all we can do.”

Testing Slowing, But Death Rate Hasn’t

170 deaths from disease as week-over-week testing total falls.

DNR Directs JCI/Tyco To Provide Emergency Drinking Water for Three Homeowners On Private Wells Near JCI/Tyco Biosolid Applied Fields Investigation Area After Sampling Results Show High Levels of PFAS Contamination

DNR To Host Online Listening Session April 15

Number of COVID-19 Tests Falls to Three-Week Low as Death Toll Grows

Easter aberration or decline in test demand?

Business Groups Want State To Reopen

Pushing Evers to act within two weeks. Scientists say it's too soon.

Gov. Evers Announces Second Alternative Care Facility at Alliant Energy Center

3,341 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Wisconsin

ICU bed availability drops

ACLU Suit Calls for Elderly Inmates Release

State ACLU leader calls state prisons a “ticking time bomb” on COVID-19 for elderly and vulnerable.

Despite Slowing Growth Rate, No End in Sight for “Safer at Home”

"Science will determine what reopening looks like and when that will happen," said Evers.

New Northwest Side Assisted Living Facility Gets Committee Approval

Construction could start in June.

African-Americans Hard Hit By COVID-19 Across Wisconsin

African-American disparity isn't just a Milwaukee problem.

COVID-19 Testing Capacity Continues To Outpace Actual Testing

State officials say they've expanded guidance to allow more people to be tested.

Gov. Evers Announces COVID-19 Volunteer Program

Health Officials Will Track Election Day COVID-19 Spread

It will take several weeks to see if in person voting increased transmission of the disease.

See Wisconsin’s Hospital Usage With New Dashboard

Interactive dashboard allows public daily insight into hospital capacity.

Wisconsinites Who Lose Health Insurance During COVID-19 May Be Able to Enroll on HealthCare.gov or in BadgerCare

Department of Health Services Increases Contact Tracing Capabilities

2,885 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Wisconsin

Death total has grown to 111, including 68 in Milwaukee County.

Gov. Evers Reiterates Options Available for Religious Gatherings and Services

Gov. Evers Announces Construction of Alternative Care Facility at Wisconsin State Fair Park

Opioid Treatment Facility Sees Uptick During Pandemic

The epidemic has not slowed down, and neither has treatment.

Gov. Evers Delivers Weekly Democratic Radio Address on Public Health after the April 7 Spring Election

COVID-19 Death Total Crosses 100 in Wisconsin

2,756 positive cases, including 1,417 in Milwaukee County.

State Grows COVID-19 Testing Capacity

Partnerships with private labs help. But still a shortage of tests.

State Faces April 16 Deadline for Medicaid Money

Legislature must amend lame duck law or lose hundreds of millions in federal funds.

2,578 COVID-19 Cases in Wisconsin, 92 Deaths

Death total has grown five-fold in past week.

State DNR Forges Ahead on ‘Forever Chemicals’

Despite pandemic, regulators continue work on enforcement standards for PFAS in drinking water.

Supreme Court Reinstates Election, Overrules Evers

April 7th in-person election will occur as scheduled says court.

2,440 Positive Cases of COVID-19, Testing Capacity Growing

27 percent of confirmed cases have required hospitalization.

Wisconsin Reports 2,267 COVID-19 Cases, 624 Hospitalizations

Death total has risen to 68. 1,148 cases in Milwaukee County.

Change Lame Duck Law, Baldwin Urges Legislators

Republican law passed to limit governor’s power prevents him from getting federal funding for COVID-19.

Who Will Be Denied Medical Resources?

State’s disability groups call for equal treatment should life-saving supplies need to be rationed.

State Prisons Seek More Protective Gear

Corrections department also releases holds on 1,148 nonviolent misdemeanor offenders to reduce spread of disease.

Wisconsin Reports 2,122 Positive COVID-19 Cases, 56 Deaths

Despite record increases, officials believe curve is flattening, "safer at home" working.

WI Congressional Delegation Backs Federal Help

All back CARES Act and Evers' disaster declaration for Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Records Biggest One Day COVID-19 Testing Total, 1,916 Positive Cases

Positives cases growing in linear, not exponential fashion.

National Guard Not Deployed To Enforce Quarantine

Rumors that guard units were deployed to enforce the stay at home order are unfounded.

Johnson Leads Wisconsin Delegation Letter Supporting Major Disaster Declaration Request

GOP Lame-Duck Law Blocks COVID-19 Aid

State GOP was warned of unintended consequences to their law in 2018.

1,730 COVID-19 Cases in Wisconsin, 869 in Milwaukee County

Milwaukee County reports 20 deaths from disease, 17 were African Americans.

Resources for Senior Citizens During the Pandemic

Senior grocery shopping hours, food services and caregiver support.

1,550 COVID-19 Cases, Biggest One Day Increase

State reports 26 percent of individuals with confirmed cases are hospitalized.

State Races To Do More COVID-19 Testing

But faces problem: shortage of everything.

Gov. Evers Announces Additional Shipment of Personal Protective Equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile

Milwaukee Prepares for COVID-19 Surge

More hospital capacity, ventilators, protective equipment needed for coming onslaught.

Trump Downplays Pandemic in Midwest

Reality: as one Wisconsin doctor put it, a COVID-19 “tsunami” is coming.

1,351 Positive COVID-19 Cases in Wisconsin, 674 in Milwaukee County

State working with private partners to double testing capacity.

AG Kaul Reminds Wisconsin Residents to be Alert to Potential COVID-19 Marketing Scams

Gov. Evers Requests Presidential Disaster Declaration in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

Evers Urges Legislators to Convene

“We still need” state solutions to coming surge of COVID-19 patients, he warns.

State Has 1,221 COVID-19 Cases, Exploring Field Hospital Locations

State says data on hospitalization coming soon.

Evers, Republicans Spar on Holding Election

Governor wants all vote-by-mail election, Fitzgerald blasts idea, "this is ridiculous.”

Northwoods Counties Say Stay Out

Door County closes welcome center. Rural counties lack hospital beds to handle COVID-19 surge from visitors.

Evers To Purchase Ventilators, Protective Equipment

Moves come after Republican lawmakers rejected a broad COVID-19 bill floated by Evers.

State’s COVID-19 Case Count Rises to 1,112

10 deaths in Milwaukee County as of Sunday morning, all African Americans older than 50.

Why the 1918 Flu Pandemic Was So Huge

An estimated 50 to 100 million people lost their lives.

Study Projects 853 COVID-19 Deaths in Wisconsin, 81,114 Nationwide

Based on limited data, study predicts Wisconsin may not see its peak until May 22nd, last in the country.

Evers Acts to Boost Healthcare Workforce

Relaxes rules to allow state’s 2,750-plus physician assistants to help provide pandemic care.

Over 1,000 COVID-19 Cases in Wisconsin

State reports over 2,000 tests processed in one day for the first time.

Gov. Evers Issues Order to Expedite Expansion, Enhance Efficiency of Healthcare Workforce   

842 COVID-19 Cases in Wisconsin, “Crisis Within A Crisis” in Milwaukee

Evers acknowledges disparate racial impact in Milwaukee, says CDC is studying matter.

Governor Evers Blocks Evictions, Foreclosures During Pandemic

Emergency order in effect for 60 days.

Press Release: Gov. Evers Suspends Evictions and Foreclosures During Public Health Emergency

Why Are Many COVID-19 Tests Negative?

On average, 16 tests come back negative for every one positive, right now.

Supervisor Martin Urges Residents to Stay Home and Stay Safe to Slow the Spread of Coronavirus

Gov. Evers Launches Wisconsin’s COVID-19 PPE Program

Half of Wisconsin Counties Have COVID-19 Cases

Officials caution that it will be confirmed everywhere. 707 total cases in Wisconsin.

State Has Biggest One-Day Jump in COVID-19 Cases

585 cases Wednesday, up from 457 Tuesday, and 7 deaths, as disease spreads.

We Need Paid Sick Leave Now!

Most of the many workers laid off have no paid leave. This is a crisis.

State Reports 457 COVID-19 Cases, Up From 416

But officials say actual total is higher. "We have a limited window into the number of cases."

Governor Issues “Safer at Home” Order

Starting Wednesday no playdates or team sports. People must "start taking this seriously."