The Wisconsin National Guard, in cooperation with the Central Racine County Health Department and City of Racine Health Department, plans to run the site from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 15-19.
On Friday, Dottie-Kay Bowersox, RHD Administrator, and Margaret Gesner, health officer for CRCHD, strongly recommended that anyone who attended any of the protests or vigils last week get tested, even those without symptoms.
The National Guard is conducting COVID-19 tests on all staff and inmates this week at the Racine Youthful Offender Correctional Facility, 1501 Albert St.
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections is in the midst of a weekslong effort to test every inmate and staff member at all of its facilities.
“The DOC plans to have the National Guard test all of our correctional facilities over the course of several weeks and is in the process of doing so,” Anna Neal, deputy director of communications for the DOC, said in an email. “Testing all persons in our care, and all staff at our correctional institutions will allow us to identify any asymptomatic individuals and properly quarantine and isolate those individuals to assist in mitigating the risk of virus spread.
No state-run facilities in Racine County had reported any positive cases as of 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Of the 259 positive coronavirus cases reported statewide in DOC facilities, as of Friday, the majority of them (225 cases) were at Waupun Correctional Institution, according to the Department of Corrections.
Outbreaks of COVID-19 are especially dangerous in jails and prisons because it is almost impossible for those who are incarcerated to safely socially distance. The American Civil Liberties Union and several other groups nationwide have filed lawsuits regarding alleged unsafe conditions in incarceration facilities.
Updated numbers
Three additional deaths have been reported in Racine County since Friday, two within the Racine Health Department’s jurisdiction, one of which was reportedly a man in his 60s and one a woman in her 70s. The additional death reported by CRCHD was of a woman in her 80s.
The total number of deaths in Racine County from COVID-19 is 49, the second-highest total by county in the state.
So far the state has recorded 646 deaths due to complications from COVID-19. Milwaukee County has reported 325 deaths, Kenosha County 34, Waukesha 33 and Walworth 17.
As of Monday, Racine County reported 1,940 confirmed cases of COVID-19 out of 17,908 tests completed, a confirmation rate of 10.8%. Racine County has the highest rate of infection per capita in Wisconsin with 978 cases per 100,000 people, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health.
Within the jurisdiction of the Racine Health Department, 1,354 cases were confirmed out of 9,143 tests administered, a confirmation rate of 14.8%.
Within the Central Racine County Health Department’s jurisdiction, 586 were confirmed out of 8,765 tests administered, a confirmation rate of 6.6%. Both jurisdictions have 302 probable cases.
Milwaukee County still has the highest number of cases in the state with 8,900 and a per-capita rate of 932.7 cases per 100,000 people, followed by Brown County with 2,377 cases and a per-capita infection rate of 915 per 100,000.
Statewide, of 354,291 tests conducted, 21,038, or 6%, had came back positive as of Monday. Out of those positive cases, 2,860 were hospitalized at one point in time.
Of Racine’s neighboring counties, Kenosha has 1,286 confirmed cases, Waukesha 823 and Walworth 440.
COVID-19 aid available
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is accepting applications from health care providers for COVID-19 relief through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The funds are available to offset the losses and expenditures healthcare providers, including home health care, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and emergency medical service providers, have experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health care providers can find more information on the DHS website.
Relief funds are also available to certain private nonprofit organizations through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Eligible nonprofits must own or operate a facility that provides services such as education, utilities, and emergency, medical or custodial care.
Private nonprofits can find more information on the county’s website.
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