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DHS launches a new COVID-19 dashboard

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has launched a new data dashboard, designed to give Wisconsinites the tools they need to most effectively respond to COVID-19.

“Our fight against COVID-19 isn’t over,” said Gov. Tony Evers. “Folks need to remember that this virus continues to spread in our state. We want to make sure Wisconsinites have accurate information about the status of COVID-19 in their communities. That’s why the next generation of Badger Bounce Back, a new data dashboard assessing COVID- 19 activity level, is so critically important.”

The data dashboard consists of maps and tables, that toggle between counties and Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition (HERC) regions. The counties and regions are color-coded to indicate overall COVID-19 activity status: low, medium or high.

Overall activity status is a summary indicator, based on two data points: the burden of cases and the trajectory of cases. Burden, also defined as case rate, is the number of cases a county or region has, per 100,000 Wisconsin residents in the past two weeks, and is described as low, moderate, moderately high or high.

Trajectory, also defined as case change, refers to the percent change of cases in the past two weeks, and is described as shrinking, growing or having no significant change.

“The unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic requires a nimble response,” said DHS secretary-designee Andrea Palm. “This data dashboard makes it possible for local leaders, businesses and individual Wisconsinites, to better understand the level of COVID-19 activity they face in their communities and to take precautions accordingly.”

County and regional data should be used to inform decisions within each community. The DHS continues to advise against travel between different areas of the state.

The DHS plans to expand the dashboard in upcoming weeks, to include data on additional indicators related to disease surveillance, healthcare capacity and public health response. The dashboard will be updated by 2 p.m., every Wednesday.

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