COVID-19 in Wisconsin: Fewer counties with high community levels, CDC says
MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – We’ve been reporting that new COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin have been on a downward trend for the past week, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noticed too.
The CDC says four Wisconsin counties have high community levels of COVID-19, and none of them is in Northeast Wisconsin — they are Lincoln, Marathon and Wood counties in central Wisconsin and Milwaukee County. Last week there were 10 counties rated high, including Brown and Door. This week those counties and 16 others we’re tracking in WBAY’s viewing area are “in the green,” meaning a low community spread of the virus. Four area counties — Florence, Forest, Langlade and Marinette — have an elevated, or medium, community spread.
These are based on the number of new COVID-19 cases per capita in the previous week, hospitalizations in the past week, and the percentage of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.
Low: Brown, Calumet, Dodge, Door, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Sheboygan, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago
Medium: Florence, Forest, Langlade, Marinette
High: None
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As we reported yesterday, Wisconsin passed 1.5 million people testing positive for the COVID-19 virus at least once since the pandemic hit the Badger State in February, 2020 (now 1,501,470 people). That’s 25.7% of the population.
We can report that the downward trend continued for a seventh day Friday, as the Wisconsin Department of Health Services says the 7-day average is down to 1,398. Tests confirmed 1,355 new cases in the last 24-hour period, down from 1,453 on Thursday. The last time it was below 1,400 was on May 2.
Florence and Menominee counties didn’t have new cases to report. Eight counties reported double-digit cases increases. Ten counties had new cases in single digits, including three which had just 1 case to report. County case and death totals are reported at the end of this article.
It’s difficult to say that the positivity rate is coming down because the goal posts keep moving. As more test results come in and sorted by date, the DHS revises its previous 7-day averages. Currently the positivity rate says 11.4% of all tests in the last 7 days confirmed the COVID-19 virus, down from 11.6% a day earlier.
The number of deaths is up for the third time this week, now averaging 6 deaths per day over the past week. Fourteen people were added to COVID-19′s death toll, which is 13,098. Nine of these people died within the last month. The last time we could find the 7-day average was 6 or more deaths per day was back on March 31, based on data from the DHS website.
Manitowoc, Marinette, Outagamie and Winnebago counties each reported one death. The deaths in Manitowoc, Marinette and Outagamie counties were recent.
After a significant one-day drop, hospital admissions are back above average with 41 people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the last 24-hour period.
Discharges did not offset the number of new patients for a second day in a row, resulting in a net increase of 9 people occupying hospital beds than the day before. The Wisconsin Hospital Association said there are 384 COVID-19 patients. Of these, 62 are in intensive care, 2 more than Thursday.
Hospitals in the Northeast health care region are treating 37 patients, 6 in ICU — 2 more patients in hospitals but 1 fewer in ICU. Fox Valley hospitals were treating 29 patients, 5 in ICU — 6 more patients than Thursday but no change in the ICU population.
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Statewide we didn’t see any changes in first-time vaccinations or people completing their vaccine series. However, 1 in 5 young adults in the 18-to-24 age group in Wisconsin has now received at least one COVID-19 booster shot. Adults 55 to 64 are on the verge of half of their age group getting boosters.
We did see developments with 6 of the 20 counties in WBAY’s wider viewing area with more residents getting their first COVID-19 vaccine dose or completing their vaccine series.
Friday’s Vaccinations by Age Group (there were no changes in percentages by age group since last report)
- 5 to 11: 28.2% received vaccine/25.4% completed vaccinations/0.0% received booster
- 12 to 17: 62.0% received vaccine/58.6% completed vaccinations/20.7% (+0.1) received booster
- 18 to 24: 60.8% received vaccine/55.2% completed vaccinations/20.0% (+0.1) received booster
- 25 to 34: 64.6% received vaccine/60.1% completed vaccinations/25.9% received booster
- 35 to 44: 69.5% received vaccine/66.1% completed vaccinations/33.5% received booster
- 45 to 54: 71.9% received vaccine/69.1% completed vaccinations/38.5% received booster
- 55 to 64: 78.2% received vaccine/75.8% completed vaccinations/49.9% (+0.1) received booster
- 65 and up: 85.3% received vaccine/82.6% completed vaccinations/68.2% received booster
Friday’s Vaccinations by County Population
| County (Population) (Health region) |
% of population with at least 1 dose |
% of population completed series |
|---|---|---|
| Brown (264,610) (NE) | 66.0% | 63.4% |
| Calumet (50,209) (FV) | 57.1% | 55.0% |
| Dodge (87,336) | 52.8% (+0.1) | 50.6% |
| Door (27,889) (NE) | 79.0% | 75.2% |
| Florence (4,298) (NE) | 53.3% | 50.8% (+0.1) |
| Fond du Lac (102,902) (SE) | 56.0% | 53.6% |
| Forest (8,960) | 53.1% (+0.1) | 50.6% |
| Green Lake (18,908) (FV) | 57.6% | 55.0% |
| Kewaunee (20,386) (NE) | 52.8% | 51.4% |
| Langlade (19,119) | 54.1% | 52.1% |
| Manitowoc (78,757) (NE) | 60.8% | 58.7% |
| Marinette (40,262) (NE) | 53.7% | 51.5% |
| Menominee (4,546) (FV) | 81.3% | 78.1% (+0.1) |
| Oconto (38,383) (NE) | 53.1% | 51.4% |
| Outagamie (188,766) (FV) | 64.6% (+0.1) | 61.9% (-0.1) |
| Shawano (40,786) (FV) | 48.1% | 46.6% (+0.1) |
| Sheboygan (115,240) (SE) | 63.2% | 60.8% |
| Waupaca (50,664) (FV) | 55.7% | 53.8% |
| Waushara (24,326) (FV) | 46.4% | 44.5% |
| Winnebago (171,631) (FV) | 62.5% | 59.7% |
| NORTHEAST REGION (474,585) (NE) | 299,626 (63.1%) | 288,063 (60.7%) |
| FOX VALLEY REGION (549,836) (FV) | 331,531 (60.3%) | 318,109 (57.9%) |
| WISCONSIN (5,832,655) | 3,762,933 (64.5%) | 3,577,698 (61.3%) |
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.
FRIDAY’S COUNTY CASE AND DEATH TOTALS* (Boldface indicates change since the last report)
- Brown – 73,630 cases (+42) (428 deaths)
- Calumet – 12,024 cases (+4) (100 deaths)
- Dickinson (Mich.)** – 5,201 cases (89 deaths
- Dodge – 25,357 cases (+14) (294 deaths)
- Door – 6,976 cases (+8) (61 deaths)
- Florence – 841 cases (17 deaths)
- Fond du Lac – 30,995 cases (+13) (262 deaths)
- Forest – 2,551 cases (+1) (48 deaths)
- Gogebic (Mich.)** – 2,875 cases (40 deaths)
- Green Lake – 4,522 cases (+8) (55 deaths)
- Iron (Mich.)** – 2,418 cases (71 deaths)
- Kewaunee – 4,711 cases (+1) (42 deaths)
- Langlade – 5,186 cases (+9) (75 deaths)
- Manitowoc – 18,198 cases (+18) (162 deaths) (+1)
- Marinette – 10,106 cases (+6) (110 deaths) (+1)
- Menominee – 1,959 cases (15 deaths)
- Menominee (Mich.)** – 4,105 cases (61 deaths)
- Oconto – 9,586 cases (+4) (97 deaths)
- Outagamie – 44,624 cases (+24) (363 deaths) (+1)
- Shawano – 10,299 cases (+3) (131 deaths)
- Sheboygan – 31,006 cases (+19) (273 deaths)
- Waupaca – 11,895 cases (+12) (199 deaths)
- Waushara – 5,251 cases (+1) (70 deaths)
- Winnebago – 46,843 cases (+35) (339 deaths) (+1)
* 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.
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