The state of Wisconsin has received a new title, but it is not one that they would want to brag about. The state is now recognized as one of the US's latest hot spots for COVID-19, with a massive explosion of newly reported cases.
There is the added problem that any response regarding the pandemic has been bogged down in ongoing political style trench warfare between both the Democratic governor and those Republicans currently in control of the state's Legislature.
In his battle with the GOP lawmakers over the last two weeks, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has seen his state's coronavirus case skyrocket upward by 50 percent, resulting in reported new infections to the tune o 33,403. NBC News revealed Wednesday that this number is higher than any other state, except for both the states of Texas and California.
When making the adjustments for the state's population, Wisconsin's newly revealed case rate of 20 percent makes the state the highest in the US, just after the states of North and South Dakota. This declaration is assuredly a title that the state is none too happy to have the “honor” of holding.
Political science professor Barry Burden, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, spoke with NBC News, stating: “Wisconsin has become the poster child for how things can go wrong.”
In specific, cities such as Green Bay have been receiving a significant pounding by the coronavirus pandemic. The city's hospital was in danger of being closed due to the overwhelming number of new COVID-19 cases. The Trump campaign had initially planned to hold a rally in Green Bay on Saturday until the president himself came down with the virus.
On Wednesday, Governor Evers gave the activate order to construct a field hospital that would accommodate 530 beds, this after a warning that the state's hospital system as a whole was "on the brink." Evers also issued an order statewide that saw new limits put on any indoor public gatherings.
Evers emphasized: “It is simply not enough to only wear a mask. We need folks to take further action to help stop the spread of this virus and flatten the curve.”
Much like his last mask mandate, Evers has run up against opposition from conservatives in his state assembly. One of those opposing Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos feels: “No branch of government can rule outside the letter of the law and go unchecked, even during a pandemic.”
Without the ability to try to flatten the curve, will the number of cases drop in Wisconsin?