Milwaukee COVID cases, positivity rates improve: officials
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) released on Friday, April 30 an update on the public health and safety order "Moving Milwaukee Forward" related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The order, in Phase 6, features three COVID-19 gating criteria on a color-coded scale: rate of cases per 100,000 over seven days; percentage test positivity over seven days; city adult vaccination rate.
Over the past week, the Milwaukee Health Department reported improving trends in both the seven-day rate and the percentage of positive tests.
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The health department reported a "high transmission" rate of cases per 100,000 -- now 111.3 down from 127.1 -- the criterion remained in the RED designation.
MHD also reported a drop in positivity from 5.8% to 5.0% over the past week, considered "moderate transmission." The criterion remained in the YELLOW designation.
Adult vaccinations increased roughly 5% -- now 30.8% compared to 25.7% the previous week.
"While the positive trends this week are promising," Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson said, "vaccinations remain our best course of action toward unmasking, larger gatherings, and a safe summer."
MHD will continue to monitor the situation and determine if additional protective measures are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
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