Health department hopes new order will slow spread

After another week with more than 50 new COVID-19 cases in Trempealeau County, the county health department is hoping a new order issued by Gov. Tony Evers will help slow the spread of the virus.

Last week Tuesday, Evers issued an order directing Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to issue Emergency Order No. 3, which will limit public gatherings to no more than 25 percent of a room or building’s total occupancy. The order became effective last Thursday and will remain in effect until Nov. 6.

“We hope this order will help people to realize the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin,” Kaila Baer, TCHC information officer said.  “As Gov. Evers said in his press release, ‘We’re in a crisis right now and need to immediately change our behavior to save lives. We are continuing to experience a surge in cases and many of our hospitals are overwhelmed, and I believe limiting indoor public gatherings will help slow the spread of this virus.’ Our hospitals are not yet overwhelmed in the Western Region, but we are not far behind the Eastern side of the state.”’

Baer has previously noted that the virus is more likely to spread at gatherings than in essential activities, such as grocery shopping.

“At a party, tavern, etc. you are usually there for a long period of time,” Baer said. “You are usually standing or sitting within six-feet of others for 15 minutes or more. And, typically, you are not wearing a mask because you are eating or drinking.”

Diane Schwartz, president of the Trempealeau/Buffalo County Tavern League argued that Evers’ latest order is unconstitutional.

“The order does not appear to comply with the State Supreme Court ruling in May in the Wisconsin Legislative v. Palm decision which required such general orders to go through the administrative rules process,” Schwartz said. “This process provides important opportunities for legislative oversight and public comment. The new order did not go before the Legislature or through the administrative rules process.”

According to the DHS, Trempealeau County had 67 new cases of COVID-19 last week, the third highest total, behind the previous two weeks in which the county saw 98 and 88 new cases. Because of an update to the computer system, the positivity rate was not available on Monday.

Among the new cases were 18 total for people 19 years old or younger, but Baer said the virus has not been spreading in schools.

“There has not been any direct transmission of COVID-19 in the schools,” Baer said. “The under 18 cases are spread out throughout the schools and grade levels. The schools continue to be in contact with the health department daily to prevent direct transmission in the schools.”

The most recent data from the health department showed 125 cases of COVID-19 amongst people 19 and younger since the start of the pandemic. There have been 189 cases amongst people between the ages of 20 and 29 and 156 people between the ages and 30 and 39 have tested positive.

Arcadia saw the largest increase in new cases last week with 15, according to the DHS, while Trempealeau and Eleva/Strum both had 12 new cases, Osseo had eight, Galesville and Blair both had seven and Whitehall had six. The DHS didn’t show any new cases in the Independence area last week.

As of late last week, Arcadia had the most active cases with 32, according to the health department. Osseo had 17; Trempealeau, 15, Blair and Whitehall, 12; Galesville and Strum, eight; Ettrick and Independence, six; Eleva, five and Pigeon Falls, one.

While the fatalities remained at two, Baer pointed to the story about Strum resident Mike Wolf that ran in the Sept. 30 edition of the Times. Wolf reportedly first felt symptoms on May 17 before being hospitalized until July 15.

The county health department also announced three more daylong community testing sites, all at the Trempealeau County Health Care Center Annex at 23062 Whitehall Road, Independence. The drive-through or walk-up testing will be Oct. 16, Oct. 30 and Nov. 13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The testing site is being held in partnership with the Wisconsin National Guard and Trempealeau County Emergency Management.