State encourages providers to ramp up testing

The Department of Health Services is encouraging Wisconsin providers to increase their testing for COVID-19, even if it won’t necessarily change the care of their patients.

As of Thursday, there were 48 active labs in the state able to process nearly 11,000 tests. DHS reported 2,161 new test results Thursday.

There were 207 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 5,052. There have now been 257 deaths, an increase of 11 since Wednesday.

“Our paradigm needs to shift a little so we can test people because it’s important for public health,” said Dr. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer for communicable diseases at DHS.

He said that a positive case can trigger contact tracing, quarantine and other steps needed to contain the spread of the disease.

Westergaard encouraged providers to test anyone with symptoms.

“Testing plays a central role in our whole public health response, and the healthcare system is going to have to play a slightly different and expanded role than we do with a lot of other conditions,” he said.

Gov. Tony Evers’ plan to reopen the state’s economy includes the ability to process 85,000 tests a week, or about 12,000 tests a day. But DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm said there is more flexibility with that number than the governor’s “gating criteria,” which includes a two-week downward trajectory of cases and sufficient hospital capacity.

“We will be better informed about whether 85,000 a week is enough as we understand more closely the prevalence of the disease in the state,” Palm said. “We will continue to expand our capacity likely beyond 85,000 if we are able. But that’s not a limiting factor when we think about turning the dial.”

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