MAUSTON, Wis. — The Juneau County Health Department has moved to a crisis model for COVID-19 contact tracing as a result of rising case counts within the county.
The department switched to the new model Friday after health officials said they could no longer follow up with those exposed to the virus.
A total of 1,049 cases have been confirmed in Juneau County since the start of the pandemic.
“The public health system in Wisconsin is severely strained and overwhelmed by the sustained surge in daily case counts,” said Amanda Dederich, Juneau County Health Officer. “Our team can no longer notify all cases and contacts quickly enough to be effective in slowing the spread in our community.”
A news release said the department’s nursing team will continue to conduct disease investigations with positive cases. Health officials will also prioritize contact tracing in high-risk areas such as schools, long-term care facilities and workplaces.
The department has asked anyone who tests positive to notify close contacts who don’t share the same household.
“Our local health department has lead this response successfully despite limited resources and staffing,” said John Wenum, Juneau County Board of Health Chair. “It is unfortunate our County has exceeded a critical threshold this week and we hope these crisis standards are just temporary. It is up to all of us.”
For more information on COVID-19 in Juneau County, click here.
The Juneau County Health Department will be transitioning to a crisis model for contact tracing effective today. The…
Posted by Juneau County Health Department on Friday, November 6, 2020
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