DHS partners with UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee to examine COVID-19 in Wisconsin

MADISON/MILWAUKEE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee researchers will take part in a pair of studies aimed at getting a clearer picture of the coronavirus in the state. 

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is partnering with the two schools. The first study will help determine how many people have COVID-19 antibodies. 

Antibodies can tell us if someone was infected with COVID-19 in the past. 

"The benefit of doing an antibody test is that they tend to stay positive for a longer period of time... so if we do this in a strategic way... we can understand what has been the burden over the first six months of the epidemic," said Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer of the Bureau of Communicable Diseases.

The second study will determine if the virus can be detected in wastewater.