Feb. 8, 2026 4p
(WGTD)---There was more evidence last week that an early-warning system that’s designed to detect the spread of some infectious diseases in Wisconsin by examining sewage actually works. The proof came from a municipal waste system in Walworth County.
A sample tested positive for measles. Simultaneously surfacing was a Walworth County patient with a confirmed case of measles that apparently had been picked up in out-of-state travels.
Speaking to reporters late last week, the state’s chief medical officer, Ryan Westergaard, said the sewage from some 45 systems in the state is tested weekly. Authorities screen for several diseases, including measles. "This is the first time this system that we've had in place for the past year has shown a positive signal," he said. "It's a good example of how this system can work."
State health officials aren’t identifying the municipality where the measles patient is residing.
They have taken steps to contact passengers who were on the flight that the man flew in on from Phoenix. That Southwest flight landed at Mitchell the night of January 29th.
At risk of contracting the disease are unvaccinated people.
Symptoms include a runny nose, a high fever, fatigue, a cough and a red rash that starts at the hairline and moves to the arms and legs.
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