MADISON, Wisconsin (WBAY) – For the first time in four days, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services received more than 10,000 coronavirus testing results. DHS reported 10,938 results on Thursday and 1 in 3 returned positive for 3,643 recently identified cases. This exceeds the 7-day average of 3,192 cases per day last week and the positivity rate of 33.3% is also above the 7-day average, which according to our calculations is 31.9%. Cases were identified in 71 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties.
Wisconsin’s COVID-19 mortality rate rose for the second day in a row to 0.95%, erasing progress since Oct. 16. The mortality rate has been rising slowly since November 15, when it reached a low of 0.84%. DHS reported 59 more deaths, bringing the number of COVID-19 deaths to 4,255. The 7-day average remained stable at 44 deaths per day, but 5 of the last 7 days have been above that average.
Deaths were reported in Calumet, Clark, Columbia, Eau Claire, Grant (2), Jackson (2), Kenosha (3), La Crosse (4), Marquette, Milwaukee (11), Monroe, Oneida (2), Outagamie (2), Portage, Racine (5), Sauk, St. Croix, Trempealeau (2), Vilas (2), Walworth (2), Waukesha (3), Waupaca, Winnebago (5) and Wood (3), while the death toll was revised in Rock County.
As always, the county case and death numbers will be updated later in this article.
To date, a total of 448,441 people tested positive for coronavirus and 2,273,936 tested negative for Wisconsin. In our current 7-day average, Wisconsin could reach half a million cases around New Year’s Day, less than ten months after the virus arrived in our state.
The number of cases recovered exceeded 400,000 (403,706), which is 90% of all known cases, a number and a percentage that have been increasing since November. Another 40,378 people remain active cases, or 9% of known cases.
DHS recognizes that some of these patients who fall into the broad category of “recovered” may have persistent effects from their infection, such as “brain fog” or loss of taste or smell.
HOSPITALIZATIONS
DHS reported that there were another 129 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals in the past 24 hours. This is in line with the seven-day average of 130 hospitalizations daily. This moving average has decreased for 12 days, a positive fact.
Based on the latest available data, the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reported that 1,410 people were treated in hospitals Wednesday for COVID-19, including 314 in intensive care. It is the number of patients with COVID-19 less hospitalized at the same time since October 27 and the lowest number of patients in the ICU since October 25. Hospitalizations with COVID-19 reached 2,277 patients on November 17th. will be updated.
| Hospitalized | 24 hour change | UCI | 24 hour change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Across the state | 1,410 | -51 | 314 | -17 |
| Fox Valley | 81 | -5 | 14 | -1 |
| Northeast | 113 | +6 | 23 | -3 |
Daily changes in hospitalizations take into account new admissions, discharges, and deaths.
The alternative care center at the state fairgrounds cared for five patients on Wednesday, as did Tuesday. The field hospital opened on October 14 to reduce the number of cases in hospitals by accepting COVID-19 patients who are almost discharged but still need care.
HOSPITAL PREPARATION
As of Wednesday, the WHA reported that 16% of ICU beds and 17.4% of all hospital beds in the state’s 134 hospitals are open.
The Fox Valley region has 16 of its 104 open intensive care beds (15.4%) and 104 open beds overall (12.2%).
The Northeast region has 34 of its 207 open ICU beds (16.4%) and 183 open beds (19.1%).
These beds are for all patients, not just COVID-19, and whether a bed can be filled depends on whether the hospital has the necessary medical and support staff.
The need for personal protective equipment (PPE) remains largely high: 18 hospitals have less than seven days of gowns, 14 have short paper medical masks (1 more than Tuesday), 11 have less than a week of glasses, and 7 are low on N95 masks (compared to 9 a.m. Tuesday).
CASE NAMES OF THURSDAY COUNTY (Counties with new cases or deaths are listed in daring)
Wisconsin *
- Adams: 1,227 cases (+15) (10 dead)
- Ashland: 912 cases (+6) (13 dead)
- Barron: 4,132 cases (+47) (50 dead)
- Bayfield: 859 cases (+12) (16 dead)
- Brown: 24,770 boxes (+69) (155 deaths)
- Buffalo: 925 cases (+8) (6 dead)
- Burnett: 934 cases (+9) (16 dead)
- Calumet: 4,453 cases (+20) (31 deaths) (+1)
- Chippewa: 5,538 cases (+34) (63 dead)
- Clark: 2,582 cases (+34) (46 deaths) (+1)
- Columbia – 3,951 cases (+39) (24 deaths) (+1)
- Crawford: 1,489 cases (+10) (11 deaths)
- Danish: 31,108 cases (+255) (136 dead)
- Dodge: 9,823 cases (+39) (95 dead)
- Door: 1,838 boxes (+21) (13 dead)
- Douglas: 2,742 cases (+31) (16 dead)
- Dunn: 3,251 cases (+39) (20 dead)
- Eau Claire: 8,649 cases (+49) (67 deaths) (+1)
- Florence – 382 cases (12 deaths)
- Fond du Lac: 9,787 cases (+90) (60 deaths) (+1)
- Forest – 791 cases (+3) (20 dead)
- Grant: 3,908 cases (+23) (75 deaths) (+2)
- Green: 2,080 boxes (+38) (7 dead)
- Green Lake: 1,313 cases (+11) (10 dead)
- Iowa: 1,540 cases (+26) (5 dead)
- Iron: 404 boxes (+3) (10 dead)
- Jackson: 2,114 cases (+18) (8 deaths) (+2)
- Jefferson: 6,137 cases (+34) (48 dead)
- Juneau: 2,239 cases (+21) (8 dead)
- Kenosha: 11,304 cases (+105) (187 deaths) (+3)
- Kewaunee: 1,909 cases (+21) (22 dead)
- La Crosse: 9,384 cases (+87) (50 deaths) (+4)
- Lafayette: 1,167 cases (+4) (4 dead)
- Langlade: 1,704 cases (+9) (29 dead)
- Lincoln: 2,248 cases (+21) (36 dead)
- Manitowoc: 5,651 cases (+49) (49 deaths) (+1)
- Marathon: 11,133 cases (+57) (143 dead)
- Marinette: 3,380 boxes (+36) (38 dead)
- Marquette: 1,110 cases (+2) (16 deaths) (+1)
- Menominee: 677 cases (+11) (9 dead)
- Milwaukee – 79,396 (+740) (845 dead) (+11)
- Monroe: 3,148 cases (+35) (21 deaths) (+1)
- Oconto – 3,569 cases (+30) (35 dead)
- Oneida: 2,652 cases (+21) (48 deaths) (+2)
- Outagamie – 15,189 cases (+83) (147 deaths) (+2)
- Ozaukee: 5,739 cases (+26) (45 dead)
- Pepin – 594 cases (+6) (4 dead)
- Pierce: 2,701 cases (+43) (23 dead)
- Polk: 2,754 cases (+15) (21 dead)
- Toll: 5,195 cases (+20) (45 deaths) (+1)
- Price: 874 boxes (+4) (4 dead)
- Root: 16,227 cases (+135) (231 deaths) (+5)
- Richland: 1,001 cases (+16) (13 dead)
- Rock: 11,172 cases (+170) (103 deaths) (revised deaths -1 by state)
- Rusk: 1,037 cases (+8) (11 deaths)
- Sauk – 4,129 cases (+59) (24 deaths) (+1)
- Sawyer: 1,088 cases (+11) (9 dead)
- Shawano: 3,969 cases (+31) (53 dead)
- Sheboygan: 10,577 cases (+99) (83 dead)
- Santa Croix: 5,038 cases (+24) (23 deaths) (+1)
- Taylor: 1,500 cases (+11) (13 dead)
- Soaking: 2,786 cases (+11) (26 deaths) (+2)
- Vernon: 1,376 cases (+19) (20 dead)
- Towns: 1,476 cases (+13) (21 deaths) (+2)
- Walworth: 7,105 cases (+78) (74 deaths) (+2)
- Washburn: 927 cases (+8) (8 dead)
- Washington: 10,687 cases (+88) (89 dead)
- Waukesha: 31,630 cases (+293) (295 deaths) (+3)
- Waupaca: 3,929 cases (+10) (94 deaths) (+1)
- Waushara: 1,847 cases (+1) (13 dead)
- Winnebago: 14,427 cases (+75) (144 deaths) (+5)
- Wood: 5,157 cases (+54) (36 deaths) (+3)
Upper Michigan Peninsula **
- Algiers: 178 cases (+1) (1 death)
- Baraga: 456 cases (+4) (28 dead)
- Chippewa: 476 cases (+6) (9 deaths) (+1)
- Delta – 2,427 cases (+9) (56 deaths) (+2)
- Dickinson: 1,905 cases (+14) (52 dead)
- Gogebic: 697 cases (+3) (12 dead)
- Houghton: 1,522 cases (+8) (17 dead)
- Iron: 740 boxes (+2) (32 dead)
- Keweenaw: 68 cases (1 death)
- Luce – 125 cases
- Mackinac: 249 cases (+2) (1 death)
- Marquette: 3,003 boxes (+11) (48 deaths) (+1)
- Menominee: 1,353 cases (+10) (22 deaths) (revised deaths -1 by state)
- Ontonagon: 272 cases (14 deaths)
- School crafts: 189 cases (+1) (3 deaths) (+1)
* Cases and deaths come from DHS COVID-19 daily reports, which may differ from local health department numbers. DHS reports cases from all health departments within a county, including tribal, municipal, and county health departments; county websites may not. In addition, public health departments update their data at various times, while DHS freezes the numbers it receives every day at the same time to prepare the afternoon report.
DHS reports deaths attributed to COVID-19 or in which COVID-19 contributed to his death. Most people severely affected by coronavirus have underlying diseases or conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, or obesity, that increase their risk of dying from COVID-19. They would have lived longer had it not been for their infection. The state may review case numbers and deaths after a new review, such as the victim’s residence, duplicate records, or a correction of lab results. Details can be found on the DHS website and frequently asked questions.
** The state of Michigan does not update the numbers on Sundays. Monday’s numbers include updates from Saturday’s report deadline.
Symptoms
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified these possible symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever of 100.4 or higher
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Shivers
- Repeated agitation with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- A sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
Prevention
- The coronavirus is a new or “new” virus. No one has any natural immunity. It seems that children and adolescents recover better from the virus. According to the CDC, the elderly and people with underlying diseases (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease) are considered high risk. Precautions are also needed around people with developing or weakened immune systems.
- To help prevent the spread of the virus:
- Keep at least six meters away from other people
- Avoid close contact with people who are or appear to be ill
- Stay home as much as possible
- Cancel events and avoid groups, meetings, game dates and non-essential appointments
- Stay home when you are sick, except for medical attention
- Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds. If there is no soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
- Cover your mouth and nose with a mask. At the very least, use a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
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