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Virus leads Wisconsin state prisons to suspend admissions

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The last four Wisconsin citizens who were aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship that docked in the Port of Oakland, California, last week after a long ordeal due to the coronavirus have arrived in the state, Gov. Tony Evers announced Saturday.

Evers said the residents arrived late Friday and will self-quarantine for 14 days. There were originally 38 Wisconsin citizens aboard the ship, where several people were confirmed to have COVID-19.

The announcement came after Milwaukee County authorities said a 69-year-old man who traveled to Wisconsin from out of state died Saturday from the virus, raising the total number of state deaths to four.

The man reported to Milwaukee County Hospital on March 14 complaining of shortness of breath, according to a release from the county medical examiner’s office. The man had chronic health issues, the office reported. It’s not clear why he came to Milwaukee.

The state Department of Health Services reported 281 cases of COVID-19 as of Saturday afternoon, up 75 from Friday night. More than 4,620 people have tested negative.

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections said Saturday it is no longer accepting admissions to its state prisons and juvenile facilities in an effort to slow down spread of the coronavirus. Officials will allow some essential transfers and work with the counties on any potential tweaks to the order.

State officials also announced that the deadline for filing state income tax returns has been extended to July 15, as is the case with federal taxes.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.

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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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