The federal government announced Wednesday that $1 million in funding would be diverted to Wisconsin to help fight the coronavirus or COVID-19 as it's known. This comes as state health officials announced Wednesday six people are being tested for the virus, and the results of those tests are pending.
Travel remains a top concern. Five countries have been highlighted risk areas by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
China and Iran face travel restrictions and potential 14-day quarantines for U.S. citizens. Foreign nationals who have traveled to those areas may not be allowed to enter the U.S. South Korea and Italy have also been tagged as areas with "widespread sustained" transmission of the virus.
The CDC is recommending all nonessential travel be avoided. Japan is one notch down on the list, and the CDC recommends older adults or those with chronic medical conditions postpone their trip.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services Communicable Diseases Epidemiology Section Chief Traci DeSalvo says the virus isn't a problem in Wisconsin at the moment.
"People are worried, and we want to assure them that the risk in Wisconsin does remain low… we're working really hard with our partners in local health departments and with healthcare providers to identify potential people who might have been exposed to COVID-19," says DeSalvo.
The first case of COVID-19 in Wisconsin was identified in Dane County on Feb. 5. That patient has since recovered.
