Clarification Regarding County Coronavirus Cases/Deaths Information Reported
Thursday, April 30th, 2020 -- 10:55 AM
-In case you missed it from yesterday, Clark County did report another death due to the coronavirus.According to the Clark County Health Department, this is the county’s fourth COVID-19 death in less than two weeks. All of these individuals were over the age of 65. At this time, the CCHD is not releasing any further information out of respect for the deceased and their loved ones. They would like to extend their deepest condolences to these families and everyone affected by COVID-19. To date, Clark County has had 20 lab-confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. The first confirmed case was on March 25th. The last 12 of the total 20 cases had been in close contact with one another. Digging a little deeper, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services, the majority of Clark County’s cases are in the Thorp area. HOWEVER, it’s important to note that that’s not the only location. The Clark County Health Department has reported there are cases in other areas of the county, but, because of how the cases are mapped, they don’t appear on the Department of Health Services map. That rings true when looking at the deaths for the county as the area doesn’t even show up on the Health Services map due to the low number.
We’ve also had some questions regarding why we don’t report more information when it comes to the deaths/cases in Clark County. There are a few reasons for that. One is because of HIPAA Laws. HIPAA Laws don’t allow us to report names, addresses or other information. Another is out of respect for the families of the victims. Many people are very stressed and even depressed during this outbreak and adding a death in the family only adds to that stress and depression. So, we feel it’s only right to let the families of the victims mourn in peace. Another is because of the size of our communities. If we were to “oust” an individual with the virus, or someone who has passed away from the virus, it could lead to harassment from others in the community. Finally, it’s to respect the wishes of the Clark County Health Department. The department and the county’s COVID-19 Crisis Team is working extremely hard to keep people safe and keep the public informed with the latest information on the virus. They have chosen not to report any further information then what they release and we respect that and chose to follow their guidelines.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.