Wisconsin is rejoining the so-called quarantine list updated every week by the city of Chicago’s Department of Public Health.
The city’s emergency travel order lists states that are considered hot spots of coronavirus infection. Travelers from the states or residents who are returning from them are expected to self-isolate for two weeks in Chicago to avoid further spread.
Wisconsin has seen a more than 130% surge in the number of coronavirus cases over the past two weeks, Chicago Health Commissioner Allison Arwady said Tuesday.
Wisconsin’s positivity rate — the number of tests that come back positive for the virus — is about 15%, she noted.
By comparison, the Illinois statewide positivity average is 3.5%.
“Unfortunately, Wisconsin is currently in very poor control when it comes to COVID," Arwady said.
The other states on the Chicago travel order are: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Utah. Puerto Rico is also on the list.
Off the list: Kentucky and Louisiana.
Dr. Arwady says Chicago is at a point where she’s “feeling pretty good” about the downward trend of positive tests and the number of cases.
But she says the city is still seeing community spread of the virus, mainly at gatherings of friends and family when people let their guard down.