The Perfect Enemy | COVID-19 in Wisconsin: 5,070 new cases since Friday

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – Wisconsin saw its highest weekend total of COVID-19 cases in 14 weeks, with a net increase of 5,070 cases since the last report by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services on Friday. In the past week, Wisconsin confirmed about 15,000 coronavirus cases.

Three counties had increases in the triple digits: Brown (+210), Outagamie (+103) and Winnebago (+140). These are increases over a 3-day period, but this is the first time in recent memory we reported any county in our area had triple-digit increases. Sheboygan County topped a milestone 30,000 after adding 85 cases since Friday’s report; that’s equivalent to 26.1% of the county’s population testing positive for the COVID-19 virus at least once since the pandemic began. Over the weekend, 13 of the 20 counties we’re tracking had double-digit increases, 3 had single-digit increases, and Florence County didn’t report any new cases.

Wisconsin is averaging 2,193 cases per day, according to the DHS, the highest average since February 10. On the plus side, daily numbers of cases have gone down each day since reaching over 2,800 cases (2,862) on May 11.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the community level of COVID-19 is medium in 38 Wisconsin counties, up from 17 a week ago. The CDC bases these ratings on how many cases there were per capita in each county and how many residents occupied hospital beds for COVID-19 treatment. These include Brown, Fond du Lac, Forest, Green Lake, Langlade, Menominee, Shawano and Winnebago counties in WBAY’s viewing area.

A high community level was found in 7 counties — in the southeastern corner of Wisconsin (Kenosha and Racine counties) and in the western half of the state (Barron, La Crosse, Monroe, Rusk and Vernon counties).

The remaining 27 counties have low community levels of COVID-19, including Calumet, Dodge, Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie, Sheboygan, Waupaca and Waushara counties.

COVID-19 in Wisconsin: 5,070 new cases since Friday – WBAY — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 community levels map based on data from May 5 to May 11, 2022(CDC via Wisconsin DHS)

Positive tests now make up almost 14% (13.9%) of all COVID-19 test results in the past 7-day period. The last time it was over 14% was on February 6, so watch this space.

Wisconsin is back down to an average 2 COVID-19 deaths per day. The 7-day average was 4 on Friday. That metric was cut in half because 3 deaths were reported over the weekend and because the previous weekend had more deaths but are no longer counted in the 7-day average. Sheboygan County accounted for 2 of those 3. Wisconsin’s death rate is 0.90% of all COVID-19 cases.

By our calculations, 4.2% of all COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started resulted in hospitalization. That’s down from 4.21% on Friday. DHS numbers show 64 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 since Friday’s report, which is fewer than last Monday, bringing the 7-day average down to 35 COVID-19 patients admitted per day.

Taking discharges and deaths into consideration, there are 52 more COVID-19 patients in hospitals than Friday afternoon. The Wisconsin Hospital Association reports 397 patients in COVID care around the state, with 44 of them in ICU. Wisconsin hasn’t had more than 400 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at one time since March 6.

Hospitals in the Northeast health care region are treating 37 of them, with 3 in ICU — 10 more than Friday and 1 more in intensive care. Fox Valley region hospitals are treating 22, including 2 in ICU — 4 more than Friday, while the number in ICU is the same.

Last week we passed 2 million Wisconsinites getting at least one booster shot. This week we should reach 9.5 million total doses of vaccine — first, second and boosters — administered in the state. Vaccinators currently report 9,495,631 doses since those first shots in December, 2020, and the state is currently averaging 1,998 doses per day.

Monday’s Vaccinations by Age Group

5 to 11: 27.8% received vaccine/24.9% completed vaccinations
12 to 17: 61.7% received vaccine/58.3% completed vaccinations/19.6% (+0.1) received booster
18 to 24: 60.4% received vaccine/54.9% completed vaccinations/19.4% received booster
25 to 34: 64.4% received vaccine/59.9% (+0.1) completed vaccinations/25.4% received booster
35 to 44: 69.4% received vaccine/66.0% (+0.1) completed vaccinations/33.1% received booster
45 to 54: 71.8% received vaccine/69.0% (+0.1) completed vaccinations/38.0% received booster
55 to 64: 78.2% received vaccine/75.7% completed vaccinations/49.3% received booster
65 and up: 85.4% received vaccine/82.6% completed vaccinations/67.8% received booster

Monday’s Vaccinations by County Population

County (Population) (Health region)	% of population with at least 1 dose	% of population completed series
Brown (264,542) (NE)	65.8% (-0.1)	63.2% (-0.1)
Calumet (50,089) (FV)	57.0% (+0.1)	54.9% (+0.1)
Dodge (87,839)	52.6%	50.5%
Door (27,668) (NE)	78.8%	74.9%
Florence (4,295) (NE)	53.0% (+0.1)	50.2%
Fond du Lac (103,403) (SE)	55.9%	53.4% (-0.1)
Forest (9,004)	52.9% (+0.1)	50.5% (+0.1)
Green Lake (18,913) (FV)	57.4% (-0.1)	54.8%
Kewaunee (20,434) (NE)	52.8% (-0.1)	51.4% (-0.1)
Langlade (19,189)	54.0%	51.9%
Manitowoc (78,981) (NE)	60.7%	58.5%
Marinette (40,350) (NE)	53.6% (-0.2)	51.5%
Menominee (4,556) (FV)	81.0% (-0.6)	77.8% (-0.4)
Oconto (37,930) (NE)	53.0%	51.3% (+0.1)
Outagamie (187,885) (FV)	64.4% (-0.1)	61.8% (-0.1)
Shawano (40,899) (FV)	48.0%	46.4% (+0.1)
Sheboygan (115,340) (SE)	63.1%	60.6%
Waupaca (50,990) (FV)	55.6%	53.7%
Waushara (24,443) (FV)	46.2% (-0.1)	44.3%
Winnebago (171,907) (FV)	62.4%	59.6%
NORTHEAST REGION (474,200) (NE)	298,938 (63.0%)	287,218 (60.5%, -0.5)
FOX VALLEY REGION (549,682) (FV)	330,858 (60.2%)	317,280 (57.7%)
WISCONSIN (5,822,434)	3,754,054 (64.4%)	3,566,617 (61.1%)

To find free COVID-19 vaccination sites near you, text your ZIP Code to 438829. Visit wbay.com/vaccine for a list of health care organizations offering vaccine shots.

MONDAY’S COUNTY CASE AND DEATH TOTALS* (boldface indicates changes since the last report)

Brown – 71,637 cases (+210) (426 deaths)
Calumet – 11,754 cases (+20) (99 deaths)
Dickinson (Mich.)** – 5,065 cases (88 deaths)
Dodge – 24,870 cases (+35) (295 deaths)
Door – 6,743 cases (+21) (61 deaths)
Florence – 822 cases (17 deaths)
Fond du Lac – 30,249 cases (+81) (259 deaths)
Forest – 2,454 cases (+2) (48 deaths)
Gogebic (Mich.)** – 2,771 cases (40 deaths)
Green Lake – 4,383 cases (+13) (55 deaths)
Iron (Mich.)** – 2,337 cases (70 deaths)
Kewaunee – 4,630 cases (+7) (42 deaths)
Langlade – 4,980 cases (+21) (75 deaths)
Manitowoc – 17,675 cases (+45) (160 deaths)
Marinette – 9,842 cases (+39) (108 deaths)
Menominee – 1,934 (+2) (14 deaths)
Menominee (Mich.)** – 3,981 cases (60 deaths)
Oconto – 9,441 cases (+15) (97 deaths)
Outagamie – 43,378 cases (+103) (356 deaths)
Shawano – 10,089 cases (+29) (129 deaths)
Sheboygan – 30,032 cases (+85) (271 deaths) (+2)
Waupaca – 11,552 cases (+21) (195 deaths)
Waushara – 5,119 cases (+13) (70 deaths)
Winnebago – 45,376 cases (+140) (334 deaths)

* You can find cases and deaths for all 72 Wisconsin counties on the DHS County Data website and for Michigan counties on the Michigan Department of Health COVID-19 website. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Wisconsin Hospital Association publish updates Mondays through Fridays.

** Michigan Department of Health updates county information on Wednesdays.

Cases and deaths are from state COVID-19 reports, which may differ from local health department numbers. The Wisconsin DHS reports cases from all health departments within a county’s boundaries, including tribal, municipal and county health departments; county websites may not. Also, public health departments update their data at various times, whereas the DHS freezes the numbers it receives by the same time every day to compile the afternoon report.