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The original item was published from 4/25/2020 10:36:56 AM to 4/25/2022 12:05:00 AM.

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Posted on: April 25, 2020

[ARCHIVED] Kenosha County Joint Information Center COVID-19 FAQs, April 25, 2020

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The Kenosha County Joint Information Center this week is presenting the fifth in its ongoing series answering the community’s questions about COVID-19.

The Kenosha County Division of Health is accepting questions by email at COVID19@kenoshacounty.org. Those asked most frequently will be answered each week, in a news release from the Joint Information Center and in a video produced by the Kenosha Police Department.

Mark Melotik, environmental health manager in the Kenosha County Division of Health, fielded this week’s questions.

These weekly FAQ videos are available on YouTube at http://bit.ly/KCCOVIDplaylist and on the Kenosha County Government Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/kenoshacountygovt.

A written synopsis of the latest questions and answers follows:

Q: How many people in Kenosha County have been tested? That tells the real story. 

A: This number is based on the negative cases and positive cases tested to date. It is around 1,800 people tested in Kenosha County to date equating to 1% of our population.

Q: I am wondering, what are the primary limiting factors that are preventing more widespread testing of people in Kenosha County? 

A: Collection kits have been in limited supply up until this point. We are at a turning point of where we believe more testing will occur in the coming weeks in Kenosha County through both traditional and new channels.

Another limiting factor were the testing tiers that limited testing to only those with the most severe symptoms. New guidance in the past week recommends testing for anyone with even mild symptoms.

Q: I would love for people to understand that just because you tested negative for the coronavirus one day does not mean you are immune to catching it another day. It seems people do not understand that only at that moment you were not a positive.

A: This is something for people to keep in mind. Just because someone has tested negative does not mean that they aren’t susceptible to contracting the virus at any time in the future. If they were in close contact with someone who tested positive, they could still become positive within the 14-day post-exposure window. Those who have been tested should still take care to follow the same precautions as the general population.

Q: How many of positive tests in Kenosha were people still working at the time of their diagnosis? Discuss contract tracing.

A: Out of the first 314 cases in Kenosha County, 5 percent indicated they are unemployed, and 6 percent reported they are retired.

We track where positive cases are employed. We reach out to any close contact who was near the positive case and provide them with education and information for what to do if they are sick or they get sick.

They are asked to stay home, quarantine and monitor their symptoms for a two-week period based on the last time they came into contact with that positive case. We collect some information such as if they have any underlying medical conditions.

Q: What are the percentages by age of the positive tests?

A: This information is updated daily on the Kenosha County COVID-19 Response Hub website. But the highest percentage of positive cases currently are in the age range of 50 to 59.

Q: What number of the people who passed away in Kenosha County were treated with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin?

A: According to the CDC, no specific treatment for COVID-19 is currently FDA approved. Specific patient treatment is confidential information.

Q: What is the current number of COVID cases being cared for at Kenosha hospitals?

A: As of 11 a.m. Friday, April 24, we have 16 patients in the hospital at Aurora Kenosha Medical Center and both Froedtert South locations.

Q: Is Kenosha going to enforce the extension of the state’s Safer-at-Home order, or fall in line with Racine County and others that said they will not? 

A: Law enforcement agencies within Kenosha County have been and will continue to follow the guidelines established in the order.

Q: Is there anywhere that I can go online to see the number of cases per day in Kenosha County? I see the dashboard, which shows the current cases as of yesterday, but I am looking for a daily number so I can see the curve.

A: We will be releasing Kenosha County’s projection models in a press release this weekend. We will add this curve to the County COVID-19 information hub site on Monday and will update this curve as the data entered changes it.

We are not at the peak of the curve for Kenosha County yet but our data show that the Safer-at-Home Order indeed worked to help flatten the curve in Kenosha County. Thank you to everyone who follow the order as it is helping all of us.

Q: Have any new reported COVID19 cases confirmed since April 7 been linked to election-related activities through contact tracing? If so, how many voters and how many poll workers? If not, is this a link that health investigators are looking for? Does the county expect to see any new COVID 19 cases linked to election day and in-person voting?

A: We have identified two COVID-19 positive Kenosha County residents who did vote in person on election day. This only proves a correlation but does not prove causation. We cannot definitively state that they got COVID-19 as a result of voting in person.

Joint Information Center disclaimers:

The Joint Information Center will not provide medical diagnoses or legal advice.

If you have a question regarding the welfare of a person you are unable to check on yourself, please contact your local law enforcement agency. The COVID19@kenoshacounty.org email address is not monitored 24/7, and is not intended to replace the traditional request for law enforcement or emergency service.

Those seeking immediate answers to questions regarding COVID-19 are encouraged to dial 2-1-1 or visit the 2-1-1 website, https:// 211wisconsin.communityos.org.

More information about COVID-19 is also available at:

https://www.kenoshacounty.org/covid-19

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/disease/covid-19.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov

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