Category: Corona Virus

One reason why measles a notoriously contagious disease is so difficult to contain is because its infectious viral particles can linger in the air for up to two hours. Can the coronavirus do the same?

It's a question health officials appear to be grappling with: On Thursday, the San Francisco Department of Public Health said people must wear masks if they are within 30 feet of someone not in their household, a far greater distance than the widely recommended 6 feet of social distancing. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website reads, "It is unknown how long the air inside a room occupied by someone with confirmed COVID-19 remains potentially infectious."

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While scientists say it is possible that the coronavirus can drift through the air, many note there's no evidence these tiny bits of virus are enough to make people sick.

To understand how the virus travels by air, it's important to know whether it's hitched a ride on a jumbo jet or a paper airplane.

"It's basically a size difference," said Dr. Ronald Collman, referring to the size of the droplets that contain viral particles. Collman is a professor of medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.

When a person with COVID-19 coughs or sneezes, they spew relatively large droplets at least 5 micrometers in diameter into the air. These droplets are filled with viral particles.

Studies have demonstrated how those globs of saliva and sputum are so big and heavy compared to other respiratory emissions, that is that they generally come into contact with another person's face, or fall to the ground or surfaces, within about a six-foot radius.

The CDC believes those respiratory droplets are responsible for the majority of COVID-19 transmissions.

But some studiesshow viral particles can get stuck in tiny aerosols less than 5 micrometers in diameter. They're too light to fall to the ground, thus becoming airborne.

This is much like the water vapor you can see in your breath when it's cold, wafting through the air before slowing dispersing.

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The potential for the coronavirus to linger in the air is concerning to scientists who study aerosols. Kimberly Prather, a distinguished professor in atmospheric chemistry at the University of California, San Diego, addressed the possibility in a paper published this week in the journal Science.

"Aerosol transmission of viruses must be acknowledged as a key factor leading to the spread of infectious respiratory diseases," Prather and her co-authors wrote.

But evidence is lacking that this particular virus is indeed infectious in aerosolized form, Prather told NBC News.

"How long does it live when it's in the air? We still have a lot of work to do to answer that," Prather said.

Other experts agreed.

"Just because some viral element is detected does not mean it is infectious," said Dr. Aditya Shah, an infectious disease fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

That's because when it comes to making a person sick, viruses tend to get their strength in numbers.

Any pathogen including SARS-CoV-2, the type of coronavirus that causes COVID-19 generally requires larger amounts of particles to become infectious. The smaller the particle, scientists say, the less likely it is to carry enough virus to survive a breezy journey into another person's body.

"I think it is plausible that there could be some level of aerosol transmission," Collman said. "But if it occurs, it's probably not very important or common."

Still, as evidence grows that people can spread the virus without having any symptoms, doctors overwhelmingly support the use of face masks to reduce the risk for infecting others with emissions of all sizes.

"People who don't wear face masks think that they're saying, 'I'm tough. I'm strong. I'm not afraid of getting COVID,'" Collman said.

"What they're really saying is, 'I don't give a damn about other people.'"

While the CDC recommends wearing face coverings in public places to cut the risk of spreading potentially infectious droplets, a study published Thursday in the journal BMJ Global Health suggests benefits to masking at home.

Researchers in China surveyed 124 families in which at least one person had been diagnosed with COVID-19. Households that were able to isolate the ill family member, as well as use disinfectants, had a lower chance of viral spread.

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What's more, the study suggested wearing face masks in the home was 79 percent effective in curbing spread of COVID-19 among family members.

"This is the first study to show effectiveness of precautionary mask use, social distancing and regular disinfection in the household," the study authors wrote.

The research also illustrated the elevated risks of transmitting the virus in close quarters, such as sitting around a dinner table or watching TV together. Still, it appears to be too soon for physicians to recommend wearing masks inside the home routinely.

Dr. Katie Passaretti, medical director for infection prevention at Atrium Health in Charlotte, North Carolina, said it may be reasonable to wear a mask inside the home if one family member is often exposed to members of the public, or perhaps is caring for a vulnerable person.

"What's the biggest bang for your buck?" Passaretti asked. "It probably makes the most sense to encourage [masks] in households with individuals who are at higher risk for more severe disease," such as older adults or people who have weakened immune systems.

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Is the coronavirus airborne? Here's what we know. - NBC News

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Fears about catching coronavirus from contaminated surfaces have driven some people to become compulsive about cleaning countertops and wiping down their groceries. As the pandemic took hold, some poison centers even reported increased calls about excessive exposure to cleaning agents.

In recent weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention appeared to adjust its stance on surface transmission of the coronavirus. New language on its website was interpreted as deemphasizing concerns, creating some confusion about the risk of catching covid-19 from frequently touched objects.

Pittsburgh-based infectious disease and critical care physician Dr. Amesh Adalja said that while the contact spread of the virus can certainly occur, it is not responsible for the bulk of transmission.

Weve always known that there is a small contribution from contaminated surfaces. I think the CDC guidance reflects the fact that were trying to focus on the main route of how this virus gets from person to person. It is from another person directly, Adalja said. Our public health strategy needs to be focused on eliminating the person-to-person spread,and there can be less emphasis on contact spread.

After some news outlets ran with the idea that the CDC was no longer concerned about surface transmission, the agency issued a statement clarifying that contact with a contaminated surface is still one way to catch covid-19.

It may be possible that a person can get covid-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or possibly their eyes. But this isnt thought to be the main way the virus spreads, the statement said. The change on the website was intended to make it easier to read, and was not a result of any new science.

Dr. Arvind Venkat, an Allegheny Health Network emergency physician, observed that we live in a hyper-connected world, and social media can create controversies that arent always there. So, the combination of not having consistent communication and an environment in which everything is so fragmented is a bad combination in a public health crisis.

Venkat also past president of the Pennsylvania College of Emergency Physicians said public health authorities must communicate carefully and accurately to maintain trust with the public.

Since this is a new virus, were still learning as we go along. The fact that there is contradictory and changing data is to be expected, Venkat said. So, when something changes, we need to make sure that we convey that in a systematic way so that it doesnt get perceived as going back and forth.

So, what are the chances of catching covid-19 from an object or surface laden with germs?

I think the relative risk of picking it up from common things given the precautions that everybody is taking is much lower, said Seema Lakdawala, assistant professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

But if you are a health care worker and you are working in a hospital setting with patients that are symptomatic and coughing and sneezing large volumes of the virus into their environment then, yes, the risk of catching it from a surface is much higher.

The feeling among medical experts who spoke with the Tribune-Review is people are unlikely to catch the virus from doing things like grocery shopping. Lakdawala, an expert in virus transmission, said she does not wipe down her groceries.

Everyone has their own comfort level. If somebody is taking the time to wipe down every single material three times, I would say that is a waste of their time, Lakdawala said. I think its important for the general public to understand, What kind of information do I need to make a risk assessment for myself?

Adalja said that while its important for people to continue to take protective action, they can be a little less concerned about contaminated surfaces they may have touched.

I think people can be less worried about making sure they scrub their groceries. Thats less likely to be impactful than other things, like washing your hands and trying to avoid crowded spaces and other social-distancing measures.

Paul Guggenheimer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Paul at 724-226-7706 or pguggenheimer@triblive.com.

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Universities will never be the same after the coronavirus crisis  Nature.com

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Universities will never be the same after the coronavirus crisis - Nature.com

Shasta County employs dozens of people who work to trace the contacts of people who test positive for COVID-19, according to public health officials. Redding Record Searchlight

1 p.m., Monday, June 1

Butte County announced Monday afternoon its first death due to COVID-19.

Public health officials said the person died in a hospital, was over 65 years old and had numerous underlying health conditions.

A previous investigation led health officials to believe the person got sick from a community-acquired infection. "No specific place or event was identified as the source of their infection," the county said.

Im very sad to announce that weve lost one of our community members to this illness. This news hits us hard, Butte County Public Health DirectorDanette York said. This COVID-19 pandemic is a historic public health challenge. Our top priority continues to be protecting the health of our community.

Butte County had 44 knkocases of COVID-19 as of Monday morning.

7 a.m., Monday, June 1

No new cases of coronavirus were reported in Shasta County on Sunday.

There also were no patients hospitalized with the disease, but four people were in quarantine and 20 were in isolation, according to the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency.

Humboldt County, hardest hit by coronavirus in far-Northern California, broke the 100 mark in cases Saturday afternoon.The county now has 101 cases.

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The county didn't report any new positive tests over the weekend, leaving the local total at seven cases with 1,633 tests conducted.

There are 29 people, however, with test results pending.

Of the seven people infected, one is still considered to be an active case. There have been no deaths reported in Siskiyou related to the virus.

In far Northern California, here's where COVID-19 case totals stand:

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Coastal counties:

Statewide, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increasedto 110,583as of Saturday, the California Department of Health reported Sunday afternoon.

At least 4,213people in the state have died from the virus and 2,940people were hospitalized because of the disease. Another 1,391peoplesuspected to have the illness were in the hospital.

Here's how California's coronavirus cases break down by age:

Health-care workers made up 10,033of California's confirmed cases, according to state health officials. Of that number, 59have died.

As of Sundayafternoon, the number of known coronavirus cases in the U.S. was at 1.79 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.

That number includes 104,383 people who have died as a result of the virus.

Worldwide, the number of confirmed cases was 6.1 million. Of that total, more than 372,100 people have died.

Alayna Shulman covers a little bit of everything for the Record Searchlight. In particular, she loves writing aboutthe issues of this community through long-form storytelling. Her work often centers on localcrime, features and politics, and has won awards for best writing, best business coverage and best investigative reporting in the California News Publishers Association's Better Newspapers Contest.Follow her on Twitter (@ashulman_RS), call her at 530-225-8372 and, to support herwork, please subscribe.

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Coronavirus live updates: What we know about Monday about COVID-19 in the North State - Record Searchlight

Workers who can do their jobs from home are being forced to do so by the coronavirus, and many of these workers feel fortunate, even if they feel that they are working harder.

Miguel Pereira | Getty Images

As the coronavirus has forced businesses, restaurants, stores and theaters across the country to shut down, a quarter of American workers have filed for unemployment benefits.

At the same time, the public health crisis has created some new jobs.

As companies weigh how to reopen and bring staff back in a safe way,temperature screenersand Covid-19 testerswill be needed. With parties and conferences unfolding over screens,video platform support specialistscould find it easy to get hired.

"[W]e have a public health disaster that's created a wide range of roles needed to contain the disease and increase the confidence of American consumers,"said Julia Pollak, a labor economist at ZipRecruiter, a job marketplace.

According to a list compiled for CNBC by Pollak, here are eight positions that are likely to only increase in popularity.

These workers will conductswab tests at hospitals, nursing homes, factories and offices.

The positions will likely be filled by registered nurses and nursing assistants. The pay can be as high as $45 an hour. "These opportunities are open to many people who are willing to invest in the skills training," Pollak said.

"And this will still be a growing job for quite a while as factories and companies reopen."

Honor connects older adults with caregivers using its app-based technology.

Source: Honor

There's a surgein demand for caregivers to tend to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who've contracted Covid-19.Of course, people will want to consider the risks to their own health from such work.

Wages typically go up to $25 an hour and may require training and certification.

Contact tracerscall people who might have contracted the virus to provide tips and try to arrange testing.

The work can typically be done from home, part-time or full-time, and pays up to $25 an hour.

Businesses and schools will need to install plexiglass shields and dividers if they want to safely accommodate students, workers and customers.

As a result, there should be a high demand for people who can make and set up the structures.

Wages can go up to $20 an hour.

People around the country could be wearing face masks for years, according to some predictions, and so the demand for the coverings will stick around, too.

Pollack expects companies to welcome back their employees with logo-branded masks. They could also be sold at sporting events and concerts, she said.

Pay for people who can make thecoverings can be as high as $18 an hour.

As teachers adapt to virtual classrooms, and doctors perform exams via screen, there's a growing need for video platform technical support.

"There's a huge demand for people who can help facilitate video meetings," Pollak said.

Pay can go up to $25 an hour.

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Without the coronavirus pandemic, these jobs probably wouldn't have existed - CNBC

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The number of deaths on Staten Island believed to have been caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) has reached 994, city Health Department data shows.

At the same time, the total of confirmed coronavirus cases recorded in the borough since the pandemics outbreak stood at 13,414 on Monday afternoon, according the most recent figures published.

As of 1 p.m., the fatalities include 820 Staten Islanders with confirmed coronavirus cases. In addition, 174 deaths were in the probable category.

A death is classified as probable if the decedent was a city resident who had no known positive laboratory test for the coronavirus, but the death certificate lists COVID-19 or an equivalent as a cause of death.

A Health Department source said the figures reflect totals as of when they are reported to the agency and not when the deaths occur.

While the daily number of deaths and new cases on Staten Island have generally slowed since the beginning of May, they have not stopped.

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Across the five boroughs, there were 200,830 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Monday afternoon.

The number represented a spike of 283 from Sundays tally of 200,547.

Citywide, the death toll was 21,607 on Monday afternoon, up 38 from the 21,569 fatalities recorded 24 hours earlier.

The deaths consist of 16,882 individuals who were confirmed coronavirus cases, along with 4,725 others whose deaths were deemed as probable COVID-19 cases.

A large majority of the deaths in confirmed coronavirus cases which were investigated by the city thus far have occurred in patients with underlying medical issues, said the Health Department.

Underlying conditions include diabetes, lung disease, cancer, immunodeficiency, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, kidney disease and gastro-intestinal/liver disease, said the Health Department.

On a positive note, a total of 3,109 coronavirus patients have been treated at and released from the boroughs two hospital systems since the pandemics outbreak.

Staten Island University Hospitals (SIUH) two campuses have discharged 1,995 patients as of Monday, said Jillian OHara, a spokeswoman.

Richmond University Medical Center has treated and released 1,114 patients, Alex Lutz, a spokesman, said.

Meanwhile, the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients in the borough has dipped below 100.

On Monday morning, 92 patients were being cared for on Staten Island.

The total is a fraction compared to just under two months ago when hospitalizations peaked.

On April 8, 554 Islanders were hospitalized with the coronavirus.

At SIUH, 61 patients were being treated Monday morning all at the Ocean Breeze campus, said OHara. No coronavirus patients are in the Princes Bay facility, she said.

Richmond University Medical Center was caring for 31 coronavirus patients as of Monday morning, Lutz said.

With respect to testing, the data show 2,817 of every 100,000 Staten Islanders have received positive results for the coronavirus, according to 2018 Census data projections and the Health Departments Monday afternoon tally.

Staten Islands infection rate is second highest among the five boroughs.

Officials, however, stress the examinations do not necessarily reflect the full spread of the virus.

The Bronxs infection rate still tops the city.

In that borough, 3,172 residents per 100,000 have tested positive. The Bronx has had 45,428 cases.

Queens has the third highest rate of confirmed coronavirus cases in the city, with 2,693 residents per 100,000 testing positive. There have been 61,372 cases in that borough, the second-most populous.

Brooklyn, the borough with the largest population, has the fourth-lowest rate of infection per 100,000 residents 2,146.

Brooklyns 55,421 cases are the second most among the five boroughs.

Manhattan has the lowest infection rate among the boroughs with 1,541 per 100,000 residents testing positive.

There have been 25,092 positive cases in Manhattan, the data said.

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Coronavirus tally on Staten Island: 994 deaths, 13,414 cases; hospitalizations below 100 - SILive.com

The coronavirus that caused SARS was hosted by bats and palm civets. It jumped to humans because we had been pushing and pushing high-density urban population centers more deeply into wilderness areas, destroying that natural buffer and replacing it with monoculture crops and concrete.

When you simultaneously accelerate development in ways that destroy more and more natural habitats and then hunt for more wildlife there, the natural balance of species collapses due to loss of top predators and other iconic species, leading to an abundance of more generalized species adapted to live in human-dominated habitats, Johan Rockstrom, the chief scientist at Conservation International, explained to me.

These include rats, bats, palm civets and some primates, which together host a majority of all known viruses that can be passed on to humans. And when these animals are then hunted, trapped and taken to markets in particular in China, Central Africa and Vietnam, where they are sold for food, traditional medicine, potions and pets they endanger humans, who did not evolve with these viruses.

SARS jumped from mainland China to Hong Kong in February 2003, when a visiting professor, Dr. Liu Jianlun, who unknowingly had SARS, checked into Room 911 at Hong Kongs Metropole Hotel.

Yup, Room 9-1-1. I am not making that up.

By the time he checked out, The Washington Post reported, Liu had spread a deadly virus directly to at least eight guests. They would unknowingly take it with them to Singapore, Toronto, Hong Kong and Hanoi, where the virus would continue to spread. Of more than 7,700 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome tallied so far worldwide, the World Health Organization estimates that more than 4,000 can be traced to Lius stay on the ninth floor of the Metropole Hotel.

It is important to note, though, that SARS was contained by July 2003 before becoming a full-fledged pandemic thanks in large part to rapid quarantines and tight global cooperation among public health authorities in many countries. Collaborative multinational governance proved to be a good buffer.

Alas, that was then. The latest coronavirus is aptly named SARS-CoV-2 with emphasis on the number 2. We dont yet know for sure where this coronavirus that causes the disease Covid-19 came from, but it is widely suspected to have jumped to a human from a wild animal, maybe a bat, in Wuhan, China. Similar jumps are bound to happen more and more as we keep stripping away natures natural biodiversity and buffers.

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Coronavirus Showed How Globalization Broke the World - The New York Times

For the foreseeable future, MinnPost will be providing daily updates on coronavirus in Minnesota, published following the press phone call with members of the Walz administration each afternoon.

Here are the latest updates from May 29, 2020:

Another 29 Minnesotans have died of COVID-19, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) said Friday, for a total of 996.

Of those who died, one person was age 100 or older, 11 were in their 90s, six were in their 80s, five were in their 70s, three were in their 60s, one was in their 50s and two were in their 40s. Of the 29 deaths, 24 were residents of long-term care facilities and two people were residents of a group home or residential behavioral health facility.

The current death toll only includes Minnesotans with lab-confirmed positive COVID-19 tests.

MDH also said Friday there have been 23,531 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota, up 584 from Thursdays count. Because Minnesota is only now developing the capacity to test everybody with symptoms, the number of cases of the virus is assumed to be significantly higher.

Since the start of the outbreak, 2,936 Minnesotans have been hospitalized and 592 are currently in the hospital, 259 in intensive care. Of the 23,531 confirmed positive cases in Minnesota, 16,930 no longer need to be isolated, which means they are believed to have recovered.

A total of 233,837 COVID-19 tests have been completed in Minnesota, up 8,665 from Thursday.

More information on cases can be found here.

MDHs coronavirus website:https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/index.html

Hotline, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.: 651-201-3920

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The daily coronavirus update: 29 more deaths, raising the total to 996 in Minnesota - MinnPost

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) - Friday's report from the Department of Health Services shows the state jumped well past 17,000 confirmed coronavirus cases.

For the second time this week, Wisconsin saw a dramatic rise in the number of the coronavirus test results and new cases identified, and also the second-highest death reports in one day.

The state's public and private labs completed 13,602 tests -- almost 3,000 more tests than Thursday's record. That's indicative of increased testing in Milwaukee County, which identified 450 new patients.

Statewide, testing identified 733 new patients in the past 24 hours -- well past the record one-day total of 599 cases set on Wednesday. That's 5.39% of the test results, which is about average for the past few weeks. New cases were reported in 38 of the state's 72 counties.

The state now has 17,707 confirmed coronavirus patients.

568 COVID-19 patients have died with the 18 new deaths in Friday's report. It's the third straight day the death count was in the double digits and the fourth day in a week.

Nine of the deaths reported Friday were in Milwaukee County. A death in Brown County and one in Winnebago County were also added to the toll.

2,499 COVID-19 patients have been hospitalized -- 47 more since Thursday. There are 145 in ICU out of the 423 currently hospitalized.

14% of coronavirus cases have resulted in hospitalizations. 3% have resulted in death. While the rising number of people affected may be worrisome, both of these percentages continue to decline.

61% of patients are considered recovered -- a percentage that has continued to rise. The state defines a patient as recovered if 30 days have passed since the onset of symptoms or their diagnosis or their absence of symptoms or release from isolation is medically documented.

The 13,602 results the state received is the closest to its labs' testing capacity so far. The state has 56 public and private labs with a total capacity of 14,753 tests a day. Thirty-one more labs are prepared to assist the state.

County case numbersCounties with increased cases and/or deaths are indicated in bold.

WisconsinAdams - 4 cases (1 death)Ashland - 2 casesBarron - 15 cases (+1)Bayfield - 3 cases (1 death)Brown - 2,308 cases (+8) (35 deaths) (+1)Buffalo - 5 cases (1 death)Burnett - 1 cases (1 death)Calumet - 75 cases (+1) (1 death)Chippewa - 55 cases (+2)Clark - 32 cases (4 deaths)Columbia - 43 cases (+1) (1 death)Crawford - 26 casesDane - 705 cases (+26) (27 deaths)Dodge - 180 cases (+8) (1 death)Door - 38 cases (3 deaths)Douglas - 19 casesDunn - 24 casesEau Claire - 107 cases (+8)Florence - 2 caseFond du Lac - 194 cases (+2) (5 deaths)Forest - 28 cases (+2)Grant - 94 cases (+1) (12 deaths)Green - 65 cases (+5)Green Lake - 18 cases (+2)Iowa - 15 cases (+1)Iron - 2 cases (1 death)Jackson - 16 cases (+1) (1 death)Jefferson - 101 cases (+5) (3 deaths)Juneau 23 cases (+1) (1 death)Kenosha - 1,131 cases (+43) (27 deaths) (+2)Kewaunee - 34 cases (1 death)La Crosse - 53 cases (+2)Lafayette - 27 cases (+1)Langlade - 2 casesLincoln - 7 casesManitowoc - 36 cases (1 death)Marathon - 46 cases (+3) (1 death)Marinette - 33 cases (2 deaths)Marquette - 3 cases (1 death)Menominee - 3 casesMilwaukee 7,429 cases (+450) (294 deaths) (+9)Monroe - 16 cases (1 death)Oconto - 35 casesOneida - 9 casesOutagamie - 213 cases (+9) (8 deaths)Ozaukee - 159 cases (+3) (11 deaths)Pepin - 1 casePierce - 45 cases (+1)Polk - 18 cases (1 death)Portage - 11 casesPrice - 2 casesRacine - 1,579 cases (+73) (35 deaths) (+2)Richland - 14 cases (4 deaths)Rock - 620 cases (+32) (18 deaths)Rusk - 5 casesSauk - 78 cases (3 deaths)Sawyer - 8 casesShawano - 45 cases (+2)Sheboygan - 87 cases (+3) (3 deaths)St. Croix - 77 cases (+3)Taylor - 2 cases (+1)Trempealeau - 24 cases (+1)Vernon - 21 cases (+1)Vilas - 6 casesWalworth - 379 cases (+3) (17 deaths) (+1)Washburn - 2 casesWashington - 235 cases (+5) (6 deaths) (+2)Waukesha - 665 cases (+15) (28 deaths)Waupaca - 29 cases (+2) (1 death)Waushara - 8 casesWinnebago - 224 cases (+19) (4 deaths) (+1)Wood - 10 cases (1 death)

Michigan's Upper PeninsulaAlger - 0 casesBaraga - 1 caseChippewa - 2 caseDelta - 17 cases (2 deaths)Dickinson - 5 cases (2 deaths)Gogebic - 5 cases (1 death)Houghton - 5 cases (+1)Iron - 0 casesKeweenaw - 0 casesLuce - 3 casesMackinac - 8 casesMarquette - 54 cases (10 deaths)Menominee - 8 casesOntonagon - 0 casesSchoolcraft - 4 cases

SymptomsThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified these as possible symptoms of COVID-19:

PreventionThe coronavirus is a new, or "novel," virus. Nobody has a natural immunity to it. Children and teens seem to recover best from the virus. Older people and those with underlying health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease) are considered at high risk, according to the CDC. Precautions are also needed around people with developing or weakened immune systems.

To help prevent the spread of the virus:

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Wisconsin coronavirus testing, cases and deaths up again - WBAY

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Tru Johnson, of Milwaukee, wears a face mask as he walks down West Hampton Avenue just east of West 84th Street in Milwaukee on Sunday, March 22, 2020. Johnson was wearing the mask to help him from getting infected by the coronavirus.(Photo: Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The state Department of Health Services reported 733 newcasesof coronavirus Friday, Wisconsin'slargest single-day increase by more than 100 cases since the pandemic began.

Friday's new cases accounted for about 5.4% of the more than 13,600 tests processed since Thursday.

That's also a new record for the number of tests run in a single day, up significantly from Thursday's record-setting number of 10,626.

As of Friday afternoon, 17,707 Wisconsinites hadtested positive for the virus and 568 had died, an increase of 18 from the previous day.About 60%hadrecovered, andmore than 233,500 people hadtested negative.

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There were 423 people hospitalized with COVID-19 across the stateFriday, about a third of them inintensive care, according to theWisconsin Hospital Association. Among inpatients, 243had pending coronavirus tests as of Friday.

Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are generally slightly up compared to early May, when they briefly dipped below 300.

Among those who have been hospitalized: seven children believed to be suffering from multisystem inflammatory syndrome, the first known cases in the state, officials at Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin said Friday.

The new illness affects children who have been infected with or exposed to the coronavirus. It causesswelling in organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, stomach and intestines. It also can cause a persistent high fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, swelling of the hands and feet,and red eyes and tongue.

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.(Photo: Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

So far, most children diagnosed with the syndrome nationwide "have gotten better with medical care," according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

All of the patients with suspected cases identified at Childrens are younger than 5, according to a hospital spokesman. As of Friday, two remained hospitalized in good condition, while the other five were discharged after brief hospital stays and doing wellat home.

Frank Zhu, medical director for infection control and prevention control at Children's, is part of the team investigating the syndrome.

"We do not know for sure, but thecurrent working diagnosis is this is likely a post-infectious complication of COVID-19," hesaid. "These patients obviously often do not have positive tests in their nose for the virus, but have positive antibodies ... which suggests to us that this is likely not infectious."

The cases have been referred to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Another significant group among Fridays numbers came from Waupun Correctional Institution, where 213 inmates have tested positive out of about 600 results received so far a positive rate of about 35%, according to department spokeswoman Anna Neal. Fifteen Waupun staff members also had tested positive as of Friday.

Neal would not say whether any inmates had been hospitalized with COVID-19.

At Waupun, 184 of the positive resultscame after three days of testing by the Wisconsin National Guard, Neal said. The other 29 inmates with positive results had been tested earlier.

An entrance to the Waupun Correctional Institution.(Photo: Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

The numbers on the department's website will be updated once all the results from the National Guard's testing are available, she said. As of Friday afternoon, the site said213 of 231 tests at Waupun had comeback positive.

The corrections department is in the process of testing all inmates and staff members throughout the state. Waupun has by far the highest number of infections among Wisconsin's prisons.

Statewide, 7,050 inmates have been tested by the National Guard. In addition to the 184 Waupun inmates, 33 inmates around the state have tested positive. Mass testing has also been completed atMarshall E. Sherrer Correctional Center,Felmers O. Chaney Correctional Center, the Milwaukee Women's Correctional Center and the Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility, according to Neal.

The pandemic has continued to wreak havoc on summer activities and local businesses as well.

In a statement released Friday, organizers announced cancellation of the Milwaukees annual Air &Water Show, which would have included a headlining appearance bythe U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team.

The rare and exceptional opportunity to host the Navy Blue Angels made this a very tough but necessary decision to make, Milwaukee Air & Water Show President Paul Rogers said in astatement.

In Waukesha, two restaurants that reopened quicklyclosed again after employees tested positive for coronavirus.

One of them, Sobelmans Pub & Grill, closed less than a day afterannouncing on social media it had reopened.

The restaurant, located on Williams Street at the edge of Waukesha's downtown commercial district, wasn't ordered to close by the health department, but its owners felt it was best to be cautious, according to the SobelmansFacebook page.

"Our remaining staff, who have been wearing face masks as a precaution, have been referred to the (Waukesha County) Health Department and we will not reopen until everyone is cleared the health of our staff, customers and community is paramount," the posting says.

The Waukesha location of Casa Tequila also has closed temporarily after a brief reopening. There,a cook was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Only the Waukesha location, at 2423 Kossow Road, is closed, according to the restaurant's Facebook page. The other Casa Tequila restaurants,in Pewaukee, Hartford and West Bend, remain open.

CarolDeptolla, Jim Higgins,Mark Johnson andRicardo Torres of the Journal Sentinel staff; andMadeline Heim andJim Riccioli of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin contributed to this report.

A Wisconsin National Guardsman trains in preparation for potential missions in response to COVID-19, March 22, 2020. The Wisconsin National Guard continues to work closely with partner state agencies to anticipate needs and potential requests for assistance. The more than 300 Wisconsin National Guard troops mobilized to state active duty are currently preparing for potential missions that could include specimen collection at mobile testing sites, transporting supplies or equipment, logistics support, and additional medical support to communities. Wisconsin National Guard photo by Spc. Emma Anderson(Photo: Spc. Emma Anderson / Wisconsin National Guard Public)

Contact Gina Bartonat (414) 224-2125 or gbarton@gannett.com. Followher on Twitter at @writerbarton.

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