Governor Scott Walker has approved a plan to help with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services’ response and investigation of an Elizabethkingia outbreak.
Walker has signed off on the creation of nine new positions at the DHS, which will focus their attention on the rare bloodstream infection that’s hit Wisconsin harder than any other state. There have been 57 confirmed cases of Elizabethkingia in the state, including 19 deaths. Health officials say most of the victims are over 65 and have a serious underlying health condition.
In announcing the new positions, Walker said the DHS workers will also be charged with preparing the state for other current public health risks, such as the Zika virus and an increase in Tuberculosis cases.