By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
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 12 reflect a very high new rate of confirmed cases, in spite of the fact that the majority of UW-W students had already left two weeks before that period. As of the morning of December 11, UW-W had reported only 14 new cases among students and staff versus the 74 cases identified in the city as a whole.
It might be speculated that the increasing rate compared with the week ending 12/5 could be partially related to gatherings over the Thanksgiving holiday. Whitewater’s rate might also be influenced by the recent ready availability of rapid testing at UW-W.
Fifteen deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported in the city; eighteen have been reported in the school district. It is believed that the majority of the deaths 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 |
| Whitewater Unified School District | ||
| 12/5 | 9.29 | 46.1 |
| 12/12 | 13.14 | 65.2 |
Rates per 100,000 population for selected municipalities as of 12/12
| Madison | 35.1 |
| Jefferson | 39.4 |
| Palmyra | 49.5 |
| Fort Atkinson | 50.6 |
| Jefferson County | 53 |
| Entire state of WI | 65 |
| Milton | 66.5 |
| Walworth County | 67.5 |
| Milwaukee | 67.8 |
| Rock County | 67.8 |
| Whitewater | 71.6 |
| Elkhorn | 73.6 |
| Janesville | 78 |
| Cambridge | 80 |
