March 31, 2020 9:30p; Updated 4-1 with additional information
(WGTD)---As more test results come back, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Kenosha County is spiking. By the end of the day, 55-56 cases were confirmed, with test results still pending in 14 cases that are considered probable, according to Jennifer Freiheit, Kenosha County Health Dept. Dir. The number of confirmed cases represents an increase of about 20 from the day before.
Freiheit briefed the county board and the community as a whole in a Tuesday night teleconference.
A total of five hospitalizations have occurred. Referring to the patients and their families, Freiheit said: "They're going through a tough time. It is not an easy process. But we're hearing amazing reports from the doctors and nurses at both hospitals in how they're really bringing these people back."
Freiheit also said:
*The results of 225 tests are pending.
*A dozen Health Dept. nurses have been assigned to the pandemic along with another team of two-dozen staffers who are working to identify the close contacts of patients. Some of that work has led to the identification of clusters of people who've tested positive.
*Only about half of the patients had a fever while two-thirds had a cough. 22% had no symptoms whatsoever.
*The pandemic may not peak in Wisconsin until the last week of April. Some models indicate that the peak in Illinois may come Apr. 16th.
*No one has tested positive at the Kenosha County Jail, the Shalom Center or at a long-term care facility.
*The new Abbott five-minute test is already in use at at least one hospital in the county. Freiheit is hopeful that wide-spread testing will start to occur.
*Kenosha County will soon launch an enhanced COVID-19 webpage that'll feature more information on the demographics of the patients.
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