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 Sunday, April 12th the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) confirmed that in the state of Wisconsin there were 3,341 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 35,916 have tested negative, there were 144 deaths, and 974 hospitalizations due to COVID-19. Of those that tested positive for COVID-19 in the state of Wisconsin, 29% have been hospitalized. Kohout reported that there are now 6 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Richland County and 151 have tested negative at this time. “Richland County citizens should double-down their efforts to stay at home if possible, practice excellent hygiene habits, and was hands frequently with soapy water. We must assume that the virus is everywhere and be diligent in our efforts to flatten the curve” stated Kohout.
The Richland Hospital Coronavirus Hotline remains available 24 hours/day and patients should call (608) 604-9953 BEFORE coming to the hospital. The Richland Hospital continues to offer COVID-19 testing out of their “Respiratory Illness Evaluation” drive-thru service every day from 8am-5pm, even on weekends and holidays, for Tier 1 and Tier 2 priorities only. Patients needing hands-on medical care should always call the hospital main number (608) 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-services/.
Richland County Community Partners shared the status of their individual organization’s emergency response, reviewed staffing and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) needs and local inventory, continued efforts to assist small business owners, and discussed priority topics to support the community through the recovery process.
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
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services: www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
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