Wisconsin remains COVID-19 hot spot, per White House
MILWAUKEE - As coronavirus cases continue to rise throughout the state, Wisconsin remains a hot spot for the virus according to a new report from the White House.
Local and state health officials say there is still a big problem with compliance when it comes to wearing masks and social distancing.
Meanwhile, it's leaving businesses unable to operate as usual and cleaning more for when they can.
While many events are on hold, Wisconsin Center District employees train to use new electrostatic fogging machines to clean at the Wisconsin Center, Miller High Life Theatre and UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
Employees said they intend to pave the way for safety standards in the city in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Now we are training our kitchen staff, our engineers, our electricians and our cleaning staff how to properly and safely use them," said Tom Nicholson, vice president of event operations at the Wisconsin Center.
The downtown district recently became the first in the state to earn a star accreditation for cleanliness by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, which district employees say is becoming the new standard for safety in business.
"We expect other venues and spaces within Milwaukee, we know that they are pursuing the star accreditation as well, and all of this together will aggregate to make sure that Milwaukee is a top-notch destination in years to come," Sarah Maio, vice president of marketing and communications for the Wisconsin Center District, said.
It is all they can do while events are delayed indefinitely as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, waiting on edge for case numbers to go down.
According to a new White House Report, Wisconsin has the fourth-highest rate for new cases in the country.
"We are very serious about keeping their guests safe," Maio said. Doing everything we can to protect our guests, clients, staff and anyone who comes through our doors."
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According to the latest records from the White House, Wisconsin is also considered to have the sixth-highest rate for COVID-19 test positivity in the country.
In Milwaukee, city leaders are pushing for even more testing in hopes of flattening the curve.
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