Wisconsin's confirmed coronavirus cases rise to 281, death toll climbs to 4, as Justice Department warns to beware of scams

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Wisconsin rose to 281 Saturday afternoon, as another death was also recorded.

One more person has died from the virus, bringing the state's total to four deaths, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. The new death was reported in Milwaukee County. Earlier this week, a man in his 50s from Fond du Lac County, a man in his 90s from Ozaukee County and a 66-year-old man from Milwaukee County died.

Saturday's number of confirmed cases is up from the 206 reported on Friday. More than 4,600 people have tested negative in the state as of Saturday afternoon.

The latest Milwaukee County death was confirmed Saturday morning by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office. A 69-year-old man died from complications related to the virus, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

The man tested positive for COVID-19 and had been hospitalized for several days before he died. He had several major health issues and came to a hospital for shortness of breath on March 14. The man is not from Wisconsin, the Journal Sentinel reported, but he has family in the area.

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In an effort to contain the outbreak and flatten the curve, Gov. Tony Evers on Friday announced a new measure that closed barber shops, hair salons, spas, tattoo parlors and other similar personal care businesses. There is already a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people and schools across the state are closed until further notice. All bars and restaurants are closed except for carryout or delivery of food and alcohol.

Coronavirus has now spread to 29 Wisconsin counties as of Saturday afternoon. The breakdown by county is as follows:

126 in Milwaukee County

49 in Dane County

20 in Waukesha County

15 in Fond du Lac County

11 in Ozaukee County

Six in Sheboygan County

Five each in Columbia, Kenosha, La Crosse, and Winnebago counties

Four in Racine County

Three each in Brown, Rock, Washington and Walworth counties

Two each in Eau Claire, Outagamie, Sauk and St. Croix counties

One each in Bayfield, Calumet, Chippewa, Douglas, Dunn, Green, Jefferson, Marathon, Pierce, and Wood counties

Most of the new case were reported in Dane and Milwaukee counties, with 17 new confirmed cases in Dane County and 41 in Milwaukee County.

On Saturday, the U.S. Department of Justice warned people to beware of coronavirus fraud scammers. Attorney General Josh Kaul put out a similar warning on Wednesday.

Examples of some fraud schemes include:

Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.

Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Malicious websites and apps that appear to share coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.

Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations. All fundraisers and charitable organizations in Wisconsin are required to register with the state Department of Financial Institutions.

Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.

Residents are advised to report suspected fraud schemes to law enforcement and can do so by:

Calling or emailing the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 1-866-720-5721 or disaster@leo.gov.

Filing a complaint with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) by emailing DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov, calling 800-422-7128, or online at https://datcp.wi.gov.

Attorney General William Barr has directed U.S. Attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of coronavirus fraud schemes as confirmed cases of the virus also continue to rise throughout the United States and the rest of the world.

Other ways to keep yourself and others safe during this time include washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands, avoiding contact with people who are sick, staying home if you are sick and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.

Also on Saturday, Evers announced four Wisconsin citizens who were aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship returned home. The National Guard transported them to their homes, where they will be quarantined.

There were originally 38 Wisconsin citizens aboard the ship, all of whom did not have any symptoms and have not tested positive for COVID-19. Twenty-nine people returned to Wisconsin on March 15 and three remain in California. Two Wisconsin passengers chose to remain in Texas for "personal reasons," according to the governor's office.

Globally, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to more than 297,000 as of Saturday afternoon, which is 34,000 more cases than reported Friday afternoon, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Nearly 12,800 people have died.

The United States ranks fourth in confirmed coronavirus cases globally, with just over 22,000. While 278 people have died as of Saturday afternoon, 147 have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins' data.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters Annysa Johnson and Ricardo Torres contributed to this article.

Contact Natalie Brophy at (715) 216-5452 or nbrophy@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @brophy_natalie or Facebook at facebook.com/bynataliebrophy.