MILWAUKEE — On Wednesday, Wisconsin saw a surge of coronavirus cases with 2,392 new cases and 76 hospitalizations. On Tuesday, Governor Tony Evers extended the state’s mask mandate to Nov. 21.
The governor said the increase in new cases forced him to issue the Public Health Emergency.
“We are facing a new and dangerous phase of COVID-19 pandemic here in Wisconsin,” Evers said.
During Wednesday's state COVID-19 health briefing, the governor said a main concern is the virus spreading among young people, specifically ages 18-24, who have a five-time higher infection rate than any other age group.
That's why Evers said he is issuing an additional $8 million in CARES Act money to help universities and colleges with additional COVID-19 testing.
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“With the start of the school year and campuses re-opening in the last several weeks, Wisconsin is experiencing unprecedented near exponential growth of the number of COVID- 19 cases,” said Evers.
With COVID-19 increasing and the colder months fast approaching, flu season is top of mind for health officials and the impacts it could have on the health care system.
Dr. Bernard Nartey, a Family Medicine Physician with Ascension Medical Group, is encouraging everyone to get a flu shot this year, he said it’s a crucially important year because of COVID-19.
“If you have the flu and your body is already weakened from that and then you get COVID, you may have more complications as a result,” said Dr. Nartey.
Dr. Nartey said the flu shot is also the best way to help out the healthcare system.
“Many times the fever, the cough, the muscle aces those are kind of the main things people come in with and at that point we can’t distinguish so we have to test for both so that’s why are trying to do as much as possible to make sure the flu vaccine given to a majority of our patients so the populations coming with flu-like symptoms may be decreased,” said Dr. Nartey.