BROWN COUNTY (NBC 26) -- Brown County officials responded to the Wisconsin Supreme Court striking down the state's Safer at Home order during a briefing Thursday.
The county now has 1,988 confirmed coronavirus cases, an increase of 17, with the Oneida Nation reporting 22 cases. Forty-five people have been hospitalized.
The reported number of deaths in Brown County is now up to 21 as of Thursday. The reported death was a 68-year-old man who lived in the 54162 zip code.
Brown County issued its own Safer at Home order after the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling Wednesday. During Thursday's briefing, Troy Streckenbach said with Brown County's high number of cases, the second highest rate in the state, Brown County felt it necessary to take action. Streckenbach indicated that without leadership at state level, they must lead locally.
Streckenbach said the order is temporary to give businesses time to reopen safely. He strongly advised businesses to begin the process of working on WEDC guidelines.
Public Health Officer Anna Destree said they'll be working with other professionals this week in order to issue new guidelines or recommendations when the county reopens May 20. She did not say whether they would include gathering limitations, but she did say the new order will require businesses to follow the WEDC guidelines as well.
Health officials add that testing capabilities at the Resch Center and Casa ALBA have increased. They will now be able to get through about 60 tests an hour, increasing our potential testing capacity to 1,200 a day. They are available to everyone who lives or works in Brown County until May 22nd.
