COVID-19 Pandemic Update for the Afternoon of April 29th: 4th Clark County Death
Wednesday, April 29th, 2020 -- 2:19 PM
COVID-19 UpdateApril 29th, Afternoon
We have a COVID-19 update for you this afternoon.
Taking a look at the updated state numbers, the state has 66,630 negative tests, 6,520 positive cases (an increase of 231 over yesterday) and 308 deaths, an increase of 8 over yesterday. Of the positive cases, 1,489, or 23%, have been hospitalized. Clark County has 20 positive and 211 negative. According to state numbers, a fourth person has died in Clark County due to the virus. For our neighboring counties, Chippewa has 21 positive and 962 negative, Eau Claire has 27 positive and 1,795 negative, Jackson has 12 positive and 282 negative, Wood has 2 positive and 431 negative, Marathon has 17 positive and 647 negative and Taylor still has no positive cases and 9 negative. Marathon and Jackson Counties have had one person die due to the coronavirus.
During a press conference today, Governor Evers and other officials also discussed the reopening of 34 state parks, forests and recreational areas this Friday as well as the recent lifting of some restrictions for non-essential businesses. He also stated that he has ordered state agencies to cut spending by 5% as revenue drops during the coronavirus pandemic. The state is also working to catch the outbreaks that are happening at nursing homes and factories in the state.
Another, big item mentioned today was food benefits funding to Wisconsin’s students. In a COVID-free world, more than 400,000 Wisconsin children receive free or reduced price meals through the National School Lunch Program while attending school. To ensure that those same students continue to have access to nutritious meals while staying safer at home during the pandemic, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is providing more than $140 million dollars in food benefits to their families for March, April, May and part of June to cover the days that schools would usually be in session.
These funds were appropriated under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and provided to states by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. The program is referred to as Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer or P-EBT because the benefits will be put on cards for families to use to purchase food at grocery stores or farmer’s markets, as available.
DHS is reaching out to families eligible for the program through direct messaging and mailed letters to let them know how to access their funds. For families that are already part of benefit programs with the state, the funds will be placed on their QUEST cards or a dedicated P-EBT card. Families not currently participating in state benefit programs that are eligible will need to apply separately. DHS is partnering with the Department of Public Instruction to spread the word to those families.
The P-EBT benefits are separate from the emergency FoodShare allotments announced earlier this month. Also provided to assist families during the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergency allotments allow current FoodShare members in Wisconsin to receive the maximum monthly benefit amount for a household their size. While P-EBT benefits are only for families with school-age children who were previously receiving free or reduced price school lunches, emergency allotments are available to all FoodShare households not receiving the monthly maximum amount.
Again, Wisconsin’s “Safer at Home” order, asks all residents to avoid unnecessary travel. You can still go to the grocery store or pharmacy, get gas, get dinner from a local business, work in the yard, walk the dog, ride a bike, etc.; just practice social distancing when you do so.
If there’s anything we can do at Central Wisconsin Broadcasting to help, please reach out. We have many resources available to you on our website and Facebook page and we’re happy to answer your questions. If we can’t, we can put you in touch with someone that can. But above all, continue to follow health expert guidelines.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.