Today, the Department of Health Services published a news release urging residents to stay home ahead of the Fourth of July Weekend and to follow best public health practices. Nearly 20% of total COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin have tested positive within the past two weeks. Currently, 23% of Wisconsin’s total cases are people in their twenties, compared to early April, when only 11% of positive cases were in their twenties. Contact tracing from local health departments has revealed that this surge in cases among younger people can be traced back to bars.
Contact tracing, an integral part of Wisconsin’s response to the pandemic, has revealed that more and more individuals testing positive for COVID-19 have recently met up with people outside their household. While there were more confirmed COVID-19 cases during early May compared to early June, more than twice the percentage of cases (14% compared to 7%) reported attending a gathering or party, or meeting up with people outside their home within two weeks of getting COVID-19. 1% reported attending a protest or rally during early June.
DHS recommends all residents, including young individuals, take more precautions such as staying home, physical distancing, and wearing cloth face coverings whenever possible. As the weather continues to improve, DHS encourages Wisconsinites to consult guidance on how to participate in summer activities safely, which can be found on the DHS Avoid Illness webpage.
