Richland Center, WI: A virtual Emergency Operations Center meeting was held again this morning to share information between Richland County officials and community partners in a joint response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public Health Manager/Local Health Officer Rose Kohout announced that as of 2:00pm Wednesday, April 1st the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) confirmed that in the state of Wisconsin there were 1,550 confirmed cases for COVID-19, 18,819 have tested negative, there were 24 deaths, and 398 hospitalizations due to COVID-19. Of those that tested positive for COVID-19 in the state of Wisconsin, 26% have been hospitalized. There remain 2 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 123 have tested negative within Richland County at this time. Public Health staff continue to monitor those individuals and investigate potential exposure. Kohout encouraged Richland County citizens to maintain social distancing and stay home if possible, as we have to assume the virus is everywhere. “However, outdoor activities that do not include close contact with others is encouraged. Exercise, sunshine, and fresh air helps promote your physical and emotional health.”
The Richland Hospital Coronavirus Hotline is available 24 hours/day and patients should call (608) 604-9953 BEFORE coming to the hospital. Patients needing “essential” hands-on medical care should always call the hospital main number 647-6321 before coming to the hospital. Additional information about the online or telemedicine services being offered can be found at https://www.richlandhospital.com/online-servies/. The Richland Hospital, Pine Valley Community Village, and Schmitt Woodland Hills continue to accept donations of handmade masks from the community.
All community partners continue to work in groups of 10 or less people and practice social distancing of six feet between people to keep essential staff healthy. For the most up-to-date COVID-19 information, follow Richland County Health & Human Services on Facebook or consult the following websites:
- Richland County: https://covid.co.richland.wi.us
- The Greater Richland Area Chamber of Commerce: https://www.gorcchamber.com
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
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