The Perfect Enemy | COVID-19 in Wisconsin: Case numbers are up but deaths fall to 1 per day

COVID-19 in Wisconsin: Case numbers are up but deaths fall to 1 per day – WBAY

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) reported 1,524 new cases of the COVID-19 virus Wednesday. It’s the sixth time in eight days the count was over 1,000. Yesterday we reported numbers gradually declined since the surge of new cases on April 20, but Wednesday’s was the highest tally since then. The total was still a little lower than April 20, though, which nudged the 7-day average down from 1,168 to 1,159 cases per day since last week Wednesday is out of the equation.

Eight counties in WBAY’s wider viewing area had new cases in the double digits. Ten had single-digit increases. Forest and Menominee counties didn’t have new cases.

The positivity rate is nearing 9% after increasing four-tenths of a point to 8.8%. The percentage of tests in a week positive for the COVID-19 virus hasn’t been this high since February 15.

There was only 1 COVID-19 death reported to the DHS, which says the person died in the last 30 days. The DHS can finally report that Wisconsin is averaging one COVID-19 death per day over the last week. We couldn’t find a 7-day average this low since August 8, 2021. The average doesn’t include deaths that happened more than a month ago but were just recently reported to the state.

Thirty-nine people were hospitalized for COVID-19. That’s the most in a single day since late March.

After taking discharges and deaths into account, the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reported 212 COVID-19 patients in hospitals Wednesday, including 36 in ICU. The number of patients is 10 more than the day before and the most COVID-19 patients at one time since March 24. The number is down 2 after reaching a 4-week high a day ago. Hospitals in the Fox Valley region, covering 8 area counties, were treating 16 patients, 1 in ICU — identical numbers to a day ago.

Vaccinators in Wisconsin reported the highest daily numbers in a week for all 5 vaccine metrics: COVID-19 vaccine doses administered, booster shots given, Wisconsinites having at least one dose, Wisconsinites completing their vaccine series, and Wisconsinites getting boosters. We don’t know how many of these were given in the past 24 hours since vaccinators don’t always report their numbers the same day.

They weren’t enough to “move the dial” as we’re still at 64.3% of Wisconsin residents getting at least one dose, 61.0% of the state population completing their vaccine series — that’s two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine — and 34.0% of the population having a booster shot in addition.

Wednesday’s Vaccinations by Age Group

5 to 11: 27.6% (+0.1) received vaccine/24.7% completed vaccinations
12 to 17: 61.6% received vaccine/58.1% ompleted vaccinations/19.1% (+0.1) received booster
18 to 24: 60.3% received vaccine/54.7% completed vaccinations/19.1% received booster
25 to 34: 64.3% (+0.1) received vaccine/59.7% completed vaccinations/25.1% received booster
35 to 44: 69.3% received vaccine/65.8% completed vaccinations/32.8% received booster
45 to 54: 71.7% received vaccine/68.9% completed vaccinations/37.7% received booster
55 to 64: 78.1% received vaccine/75.6% completed vaccinations/49.0% (+0.1) received booster
65 and up: 85.4% received vaccine/82.4% completed vaccinations/67.4% received booster

Wednesday’s Vaccinations by County Population

County (Population) (Health region)	% of population with at least 1 dose	% of population completed series
Brown (264,542) (NE)	65.7%	63.1%
Calumet (50,089) (FV)	57.0% (+0.1)	54.8%
Dodge (87,839)	52.6%	50.4%
Door (27,668) (NE)	78.7%	74.7% (+0.1)
Florence (4,295) (NE)	52.9%	50.2%
Fond du Lac (103,403) (SE)	55.8%	53.4%
Forest (9,004)	52.8%	50.3%
Green Lake (18,913) (FV)	57.3%	54.7%
Kewaunee (20,434) (NE)	52.7%	51.1%
Langlade (19,189)	54.0%	51.9%
Manitowoc (78,981) (NE)	60.6%	58.4%
Marinette (40,350) (NE)	53.5%	51.2%
Menominee (4,556) (FV)	80.9% (+0.2)	77.5% (+0.2)
Oconto (37,930) (NE)	52.9%	51.2%
Outagamie (187,885) (FV)	64.3%	61.7%
Shawano (40,899) (FV)	47.9%	46.3%
Sheboygan (115,340) (SE)	63.0%	60.5%
Waupaca (50,990) (FV)	55.6%	53.7%
Waushara (24,443) (FV)	46.2%	44.2%
Winnebago (171,907) (FV)	62.3%	59.5%
NORTHEAST REGION (474,200) (NE)	298,470 (62.9%)	286,582 (60.4%)
FOX VALLEY REGION (549,682) (FV)	330,501 (60.1%)	316,738 (57.6%)
WISCONSIN (5,822,434)	3,749,085 (64.3%)	3,558,928 (61.0%)

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.

WEDNESDAY’S COUNTY CASE AND DEATH TOTALS (boldface indicates increase since last report)

Note: Michigan updates county case and death totals on Wednesdays

Brown – 70,532 cases (+33) (425 deaths)
Calumet – 11,597 cases (+7) (99 deaths)
Dickinson (Mich.) – 5,013 cases (+26) (86 deaths)
Dodge – 24,585 cases (+12) (294 deaths)
Door – 6,612 cases (+1) (61 deaths)
Florence – 816 cases (+1) (16 deaths)
Fond du Lac – 29,670 cases (+34) (254 deaths)
Forest – 2,439 cases (48 deaths)
Gogebic (Mich.) – 2,747 cases (+3) (40 deaths)
Green Lake – 4,280 cases (+10) (54 deaths)
Iron (Mich.) – 2,319 cases (+3) (71 deaths)
Kewaunee – 4,567 cases (+2) (42 deaths)
Langlade – 4,890 cases (+1) (73 deaths)
Manitowoc – 17,413 cases (+17) (158 deaths)
Marinette – 9,709 cases (+3) (105 deaths)
Menominee – 1,845 (14 deaths)
Menominee (Mich.) – 3,953 cases (+8) (60 deaths)
Oconto – 9,356 cases (+1) (96 deaths)
Outagamie – 42,761 cases (+20) (356 deaths)
Shawano – 9,786 cases (+6) (127 deaths)
Sheboygan – 29,598 cases (+33) (268 deaths)
Waupaca – 11,367 cases (+5) (194 deaths)
Waushara – 5,025 cases (+4) (70 deaths)
Winnebago – 44,380 cases (+40) (332 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 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.