Connect with us

Wisconsin

Mosquitos carrying West Nile virus confirmed in Wisconsin after blood donor tests positive

Published

on

Mosquitos carrying West Nile virus confirmed in Wisconsin after blood donor tests positive


play

The first report of West Nile virus activity has been confirmed in Wisconsin.

Advertisement

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Monday that a healthy blood donor from Washington County had a blood screening that tested positive for the virus. Also, a dead bird in Chippewa County tested positive for the virus.

The DHS said the recent activity confirms there are mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus in Wisconsin. It’s not labeling the activity as a case.

“The positive blood donor is not considered a human case because they never developed any symptoms of West Nile Virus, which is required to be a probable or confirmed case,” the DHS said in a press release.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 80 percent of people infected with the virus don’t show symptoms.

Is more West Nile Virus activity expected in Wisconsin?

Elizabeth Goodsitt, DHS communications specialist, said West Nile virus is at its peak activity in Wisconsin, with August and September consistently having the highest reported activity.

Advertisement

“Most likely, we will see the first human West Nile virus disease case in the next few weeks and additional infections in animals or mosquitoes,” Goodsitt said in an email statement.

How severe is West Nile virus?

It’s rare in the United States for West Nile virus to become severe.

Only one in 150 reported cases have led to severe illness affecting the central nervous system, according to Goodsitt. Severe illness can lead to brain damage or even death.

Where in the United States has West Nile virus been confirmed?

The CDC states as of July 30, West Nile virus has been confirmed in 21 states, not including Wisconsin. Most of the states are in the South and Midwest. The map can be found on the CDC website.

Advertisement

What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?

Goodsitt said most people who test positive for the virus are asymptomatic.

One in five cases report having mild symptoms such as fever, rash, muscle aches, joint pain and nausea.

In very rare cases, severe illness can occur. Symptoms of severe illness include high fever, confusion and disorientation.

Goodsitt said people over age 60 are at greater risk for severe illness (2%) if they’re infected. People with other medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants are also at greater risk.

How does West Nile virus spread?

West Nile virus spreads through mosquito bites. The DHS urges Wisconsinites to be cautious of mosquitos. Goodsitt said mosquito bites can be prevented a number of ways:

Advertisement
  • Avoid mosquito breeding sites. A map of the sites can be found on the DHS website.
  • Apply an insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535 to exposed skin and clothing.
  • Treat clothing with permethrin before heading outdoors but don’t apply permethrin directly to the skin.
  • Wear long sleeves, long pants and long socks to prevent exposed skin.
  • Consider rescheduling outdoor activities.



Source link

Wisconsin

Stepmom from hell accused of starving 35-pound teen daughter enters plea — could spend the rest of her life behind bars

Published

on

Stepmom from hell accused of starving 35-pound teen daughter enters plea — could spend the rest of her life behind bars


The Wisconsin stepmother from hell accused of abusing her 35-pound 14-year-old daughter by depriving her of food and water has entered a no-contest plea in the twisted case.

Melissa Goodman, 52, now faces up to 46 years in prison if she’s handed the maximum sentence for charges of chronic neglect causing great bodily harm, chronic neglect causing emotional damage and false imprisonment.

She’s set to be sentenced on July 1.

Goodman, along with husband Walter Goodman, have been accused of starving her autistic stepdaughter. Outagamie County Jail

Goodman, along with husband Walter Goodman, has been accused of starving her autistic stepdaughter.

Advertisement

Goodman’s daughter Savanna Goodman and her girlfriend Kayla Stemler were also charged over the alleged abuse, People reported.

The family is accused of locking the teen in a bedroom without a mattress, restricting her to only her room for years and depriving her of food and water, according to Wisconsin prosecutors.

The mobile home they lived in became a house of horrors for the teenager, who was mistaken for a 6-year-old when she was found by cops in August 2025 and rushed to the hospital.

Walter Goodman, the victim’s father, called 911 to report that his daughter was lethargic and ill.

Responding officers found her weighing just 35 pounds; she was hospitalized with multi-organ dysfunction, including respiratory failure and pancreatitis.

Advertisement

Melissa Goodman
Walter Goodman, the victim’s father, called 911 to report that his daughter was lethargic and ill. WBAY TV-2 | Green Bay, WI/YouTube

From 2020 until August 2025, the victim, whose name is not disclosed because she is a minor, was allegedly isolated in a trailer on Hattie Lane, in Oneida, Wisconsin.

Extended family members were told she was away on vacation or with other relatives to explain her absence.



Source link

Continue Reading

Wisconsin

‘Song Sung Blue’ subject Claire Sardina playing Wisconsin State Fair

Published

on

‘Song Sung Blue’ subject Claire Sardina playing Wisconsin State Fair


When “Song Sung Blue” – the biopic about Milwaukee Neil Diamond tribute act Lightning & Thunder – had a premiere at the Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee last December, star Hugh Jackman gave Claire Sardina (played in the film by Kate Hudson) an engraved bench honoring Lighting & Thunder to be installed at Wisconsin State Fair Park.

In August, Sardina will get to have a seat on that bench – and sing again on a State Fair stage.

Sardina will perform with tribute act So Good: The Neil Diamond Experience Aug. 9 at the Bank Five Nine Amphitheater, the largest stage at the fair featuring free concerts with admission.

Advertisement

For Sardina, it will be a return to a place central to Lighting & Thunder. The band performed in the Milwaukee area from 1989 until Mike Sardina, aka Lightning, passed away in 2006. The State Fair was one of their favorite places to play, and the couple got married there in 1994.

The couple’s wild story – from a performance at a Pearl Jam Summerfest concert to major health issues – was the subject of the documentary “Song Sung Blue” that inspired the biopic, and earned Hudson an Oscar nomination for portraying Claire Sardina.

Fair officials May 8 revealed the full headliner lineup for the stage, which includes:

  • Aug. 6: Sixteen Candles
  • Aug. 7 and 8: Here Come The Mummies
  • Aug. 10 and 11: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone
  • Aug. 12: Hairbangers Ball
  • Aug. 13: Too Hype Crew
  • Aug. 14: The Gufs
  • Aug. 15: Let’s Sing Taylor – An Unofficial Live Tribute Show
  • Aug. 16: Pat McCurdy

All Bank Five Nine Amphitheater concerts are included with fair admission.

The lineup is also nearly complete for the Bank Five Nine Main Stage, with just a show on Aug. 11 to be announced.

Advertisement

Tickets are on sale for these shows at wistatefair.com and include same-day fair admission:

  • Aug. 6: Hairball
  • Aug. 7: Nelly
  • Aug. 8: Bailey Zimmerman with Chandler Walters
  • Aug. 9: Wynonna Judd and Melissa Etheridge
  • Aug. 10: For King + Country with Rachel Lampa
  • Aug. 12: John Mulaney
  • Aug. 13: The All-American Rejects with Joyce Manor
  • Aug. 14: Lindsey Stirling with PVRIS
  • Aug. 15: AJR with Em Beihold
  • Aug. 16: The Beach Boys



Source link

Continue Reading

Wisconsin

Wisconsin universities and schools impacted by Canvas data breach

Published

on

Wisconsin universities and schools impacted by Canvas data breach


WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW/GRAY NEWS) – A ransomware group has claimed to have breached the learning management system Canvas, possibly exposing the personal information of students, teachers and staff across the country.

According to a statement from the Universities of Wisconsin website, they were notified of a nationwide security breach experienced by Instructure, the provider of Canvas. Universities of Wisconsin schools use the cloud-based management system.

UW-Stevens Point tells NewsChannel 7 they have not confirmed UWSP was involved in the breach, but did send communication that Canvas was down and students should not perform any asked actions if prompted, as it may not be legitimate while Canvas is down.

Instructure, the parent company of Canvas, posted on May 1 about a cybersecurity incident that had been reported and was under investigation.

Advertisement

The next day, Chief Information Security Officer Steve Proud wrote that the information involved in the attack included names, student ID numbers, messages between users and email addresses.

“At this time, we have found no evidence that passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers, or financial information were involved. If that changes, we will notify any impacted institutions,” he wrote.

The Wausau School District sent a letter to parents Wednesday regarding the cybersecurity incident. They said there is no evidence that passwords, single-sign-on credentials, financial information or social security numbers were impacted. They stressed that type of information is not stored in Canvas.

Wausau School District email to parents regarding Canvas data breach(WSAW)

Click here to download the WSAW news app or WSAW First Alert weather app.

Click here to submit a news tip or story idea.

Advertisement

Copyright 2026 WSAW. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending