By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
December 22, 2020
Recently the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has, for the first time, started providing COVID-19 data for each municipality and school district in the state. This is particularly helpful for Whitewater, as the previous information that was enumerated by census tract did not isolate the portion of the city that is located in Jefferson County. The statistics for the seven days ending December 21 reflect a significant reduction in new cases compared with the seven days ending December 12. Many parts of the state have also experienced a downward trend of new cases during this period.
The city’s rate per 100,000 population is now one of the lowest among the cities/counties shown on the chart below; however, it must be noted that with many of the UW-W students having returned home, Whitewater’s current population is overstated for this purpose. Even given that factor, the current 29.1 rate still slightly exceeds the Jefferson County Health Department’s recommendation that in-person instruction not occur when the rate exceeds 25. The Whitewater Unified School District initially used that measure, but no longer utilizes a rate based policy.
In response to a request for an update regarding COVID-19 testing and reporting at UW-W, Jeff Angileri, Director of Public Information, indicated that as of December 18 there had been 12,466 “surge” tests conducted. Further information will be forthcoming.
Eighteen deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported in the city, an increase of three from last week; twenty-one have been reported in the school district. It is believed that the majority of the deaths that have been reported in the city have taken place in senior residences.
New daily confirmed cases reported as an average over the last 7 days and rate per 100,000 population:
| City of Whitewater | Average new daily cases | Rate per 100,000 population |
| 12/5 | 7.14 | 48.4 |
| 12/12 | 10.57 | 71.6 |
| 12/21 | 4.29 | 29.1 |
| Whitewater Unified School District | ||
| 12/5 | 9.29 | 46.1 |
| 12/12 | 13.14 | 65.2 |
| 12/21 | 5.00 | 23.4 |
Rates per 100,000 population for selected municipalities as of 12/21
| 12/12 | 12/21 | |
| Madison | 35.1 | 25.8 |
| Jefferson | 39.4 | 43.1 |
| Palmyra | 49.5 | 40.9 |
| Fort Atkinson | 50.6 | 52.9 |
| Jefferson County | 53 | 42.2 |
| Entire state of WI | 65 | 61.4* |
| Milton | 66.5 | 17.9 |
| Walworth County | 67.5 | 49.4 |
| Milwaukee | 67.8 | 53.4 |
| Rock County | 67.8 | 50.1 |
| Whitewater | 71.6 | 29.1 |
| Elkhorn | 73.6 | 56.2 |
| Janesville | 78 | 60.4 |
| Cambridge | 80 | 45.6 |
