03/12/2020- Wisconsin’s six confirmed cases of COVID-19 or coronavirus occurred hundreds of miles away, but schools, agencies, and organizations are taking steps to ready themselves for if or when the virus hits locally. UW-Green Bay announced yesterday that for at least the week of March 23rd through the 28th- when students should be returning from spring break- classes at all of their campuses, including Marinette, will be taught through alternative delivery methods and they’re encouraging not to return to campus until further notice unless absolutely necessary. Molly Bonjean, Marinette County’s Public Health Nurse, says this type of precaution is likely to increase across the US and worldwide and is one of several simple ways people can protect themselves.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Health officials are speculating that as testing increases, so will the number of confirmed cases, but Bonjean says it’s hard to determine just how widespread the illness will become.
With 121000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, the World Health Organization has declared a pandemic. More than 4000 people have died from the virus, many of them elderly or those with underlying health conditions.