Coronavirus

New Restrictions In Milwaukee Amid Wisconsin Outbreak

As Wisconsin GOP fights statewide restrictions, Milwaukee mayor institutes capacity limits at bars, restaurants, and public gatherings.

New Restrictions In Milwaukee Amid Wisconsin Outbreak
Morry Gash / AP
SMS

Wisconsin is seeing one of the worst outbreaks in the country right now.

There's been a lot of political back and forth between the state's Democratic Governor and Republican-led legislature over statewide restrictions.

Now the mayor of the state's most populous city is implementing his own.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett says the situation is dire.

Beginning Thursday, new restrictions on bars, restaurants, and public gatherings go into effect.

That includes the capacity limits as well as a requirement that everyone at indoor events be seated.

Barrett says Wisconsin as a whole has seen a 450 percent increase in cases over the last two months.

And hospitalizations have more than doubled in the last month.