Wisconsin sets one-day records: 3,279 coronavirus cases, 34 COVID-19 deaths, 147 hospitalizations

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) - The coronavirus continues to surge in Wisconsin, setting new, one-day records for confirmed cases and COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services received 3,279 positive results out of 14,541 tests, or 22.55% of tests. The previous one-day record was 3,132 cases on Oct. 8. The state added more than 10,650 new cases in 4 days, a record pace. New cases were identified in 70 counties in the past 24-hour period, with Pepin and Rusk counties the only exceptions.

The death toll went up 34 to 1,508, exceeding the previous record of 27 deaths in one day on Sept. 30. The state’s had 109 deaths in 7 days attributed to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Because the number of new patients outpaces the number of deaths, the death rate has fallen to a new low of 0.97% of all cases.

Deaths were reported in Ashland, Brown (3), Chippewa, Dane (2), Douglas, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Jefferson, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Langlade (2), Marathon, Milwaukee (2), Outagamie (6), Richland (2), Taylor (2), Vernon, Washington (2), Waupaca and Wood counties. Death counts were revised in Lincoln and Manitowoc counties. Tuesday afternoon, after the state’s report, the Appleton Health Department reported two more COVID-19 related deaths in Outagamie County - one person in their 70s, one in their 80s, and Winnebago County reported one more death.

Chippewa and Douglas counties each reported their first COVID-19 death. There are now six counties left where COVID-19 deaths were not reported: Crawford, Iowa, Lafayette, Menominee, Pepin and Price.

The state reports 147 more patients were hospitalized for COVID-19 since Monday afternoon, six more than the previous one-day record set Oct. 7. The state’s 7-day average is up to 113 hospitalizations per day.

Taking deaths and hospital discharges into account, the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reported 959 patients people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Tuesday, including 243 in ICU. Both figures are new record highs. The WHA further reports the 8-county Fox Valley region has 141 COVID-19 patients, 11 in ICU. As of Tuesday, about 16% of beds at the region’s 13 hospitals were available. The 7-county Northeast Region has 148 COVID-19 patients, 58 in ICU, and less than 7% of ICU beds available among its 10 hospitals.

Statewide, 13.6% of ICU beds and 16% of all licensed medical beds are immediately available. A field hospital to handle the state’s overflow of patients opens Wednesday at the state fairgrounds (see related story). A total 8,601 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 since that first patient in Madison on February 5.

Active cases, which means a person who tested positive in the past 30 days and hasn’t been medically cleared, is nearing 1 in 5 of all Wisconsin confirmed cases. Since early February, 155,471 people tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, and 30,731 are active cases, which is 19.8% (up from 19.4% Monday). There are 123,196 who are considered recovered, which is down to 79.3%.

For data that include results for every person tested multiple times, visit the DHS website. Even by that measure, the positivity rate is at an all-time high of 10.1%. Action 2 News will continue to emphasize the state’s summary statistics counting each person once no matter how many times they’re tested. This is the standard method used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its federal reporting and is a better indication of the spread of the coronavirus in a community.

TUESDAY’S COUNTY CASE NUMBERS (counties with additional cases and/or deaths are indicated in bold)*

Wisconsin

Adams - 319 cases (+6) (4 deaths)
Ashland - 204 cases (+7) (3 deaths) (+1)
Barron - 645 cases (+14) (6 deaths)
Bayfield - 156 cases (+6) (1 death)
Brown - 12,045 cases (+241) (78 deaths) (+3)
Buffalo - 178 cases (+1) (2 deaths)
Burnett - 247 cases (+1) (4 deaths)
Calumet - 1,992 cases (+64) (10 deaths)
Chippewa - 859 cases (+26) (1 death) (+1)
Clark – 562 cases (+6) (9 deaths)
Columbia – 1,173 cases (+54) (3 deaths)
Crawford – 254 cases (+13)
Dane – 11,693 cases (+108) (45 deaths) (+2)
Dodge – 2,680 cases (+59) (19 deaths)
Door - 540 cases (+21) (4 deaths)
Douglas - 639 cases (+15) (1 death) (+1)
Dunn - 793 cases (+6) (1 death)
Eau Claire - 2,454 cases (+54) (9 deaths) (+1)
Florence - 143 cases (+7) (4 deaths) (+1)
Fond du Lac – 3,097 cases (+90) (16 deaths) (+1)
Forest - 375 cases (+4) (9 deaths) (+1)
Grant – 1,450 cases (+31) (20 deaths) (+1)
Green - 718 cases (+14) (3 deaths)
Green Lake - 499 cases (+20) (2 deaths)
Iowa - 309 cases (+7)
Iron - 156 cases (+3) (1 death)
Jackson - 218 cases (+8) (1 death)
Jefferson - 1,978 cases (+74) (9 deaths) (+1)
Juneau - 544 cases (+4) (2 deaths)
Kenosha – 4,057 cases (+57) (68 deaths)
Kewaunee - 838 cases (+17) (4 deaths) (+1)
La Crosse – 3,587 cases (+21) (11 deaths) (+1)
Lafayette - 412 cases (+9)
Langlade - 524 cases (+41) (4 deaths) (+2)
Lincoln - 449 cases (+10) (3 deaths) (deaths revised -1 by state)
Manitowoc – 1,861 cases (+73) (5 deaths) (deaths revised -1 by state)
Marathon - 2,709 cases (+63) (31 deaths) (+1)
Marinette - 1,305 cases (+19) (9 deaths)
Marquette - 436 cases (+19) (2 deaths)
Menominee - 174 cases (+4)
Milwaukee – 33,048 (+534) (551 deaths) (+2)
Monroe - 800 cases (+15) (3 deaths)
Oconto - 1,584 cases (+36) (4 deaths)
Oneida - 788 cases (+27) (5 deaths)
Outagamie – 6,810 cases (+189) (43 deaths) (+6)
Ozaukee - 1,664 cases (+29) (21 deaths)
Pepin – 79 cases
Pierce – 540 cases (+7) (7 deaths)
Polk – 347 cases (+9) (2 deaths)
Portage - 1,952 cases (+25) (14 deaths)
Price - 240 cases (+1)
Racine - 5,678 cases (+97) (100 deaths)
Richland - 329 cases (+26) (6 deaths) (+2)
Rock – 3,477 cases (+54) (36 deaths)
Rusk - 102 cases (1 death)
Sauk – 1,285 cases (+40) (6 deaths)
Sawyer - 288 cases (+4) (1 death)
Shawano – 1,649 cases (+33) (7 deaths)
Sheboygan - 2,597 cases (+37) (20 deaths)
St. Croix - 1,254 cases (+22) (9 deaths)
Taylor - 296 cases (+6) (6 deaths) (+2)
Trempealeau - 807 cases (+20) (2 deaths)
Vernon - 381 cases (+6) (2 death) (+1)
Vilas - 353 cases (+10) (2 deaths)
Walworth - 2,934 cases (+27) (36 deaths)
Washburn – 159 cases (+5) (2 deaths)
Washington - 3,394 cases (+98) (39 deaths) (+2)
Waukesha – 9,390 cases (+357) (98 deaths)
Waupaca – 1,689 cases (+28) (25 deaths) (+1)
Waushara - 639 cases (+16) (3 deaths)
Winnebago – 6,494 cases (+197) (45 deaths)
Wood - 1,152 cases (+20) (8 deaths) (+1)

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula**

Alger - 48 cases (+10)
Baraga - 46 cases (3 deaths)
Chippewa - 58 cases (+1)
Delta – 744 cases (+14) (15 deaths) (+1)
Dickinson – 337 cases (+10) (4 deaths)
Gogebic - 182 cases (+4) (1 death)
Houghton – 668 cases (5 deaths) (cases revised -1 by state)
Iron – 289 cases (+2) (15 deaths) (+5)
Keweenaw – 14 cases (+1)
Luce – 21 cases
Mackinac - 87 cases (+3)
Marquette - 466 cases (+24) (12 deaths)
Menominee - 489 cases (+11) (3 deaths)
Ontonagon – 54 cases
Schoolcraft - 43 cases (+3)

* Viewers have asked us why the state has different numbers than what’s reported on some county health department websites. The 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.

The DHS reports deaths attributed to COVID-19 or in which COVID-19 contributed to their death. Most of the people severely affected by the coronavirus have underlying illnesses or conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or obesity, which raises a person’s risk of dying from COVID-19 but would’ve lived longer if not for their infection. The state may revise case and death numbers after further review, such as the victim’s residence, duplicated records, or a correction in lab results. Details can be found on the DHS website and Frequently Asked Questions.

**The state of Michigan updates numbers Monday-Saturday.

Symptoms

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified these as possible symptoms of COVID-19:

Fever of 100.4 or higher
Cough
Shortness of breath
Chills
Repeated shaking with chills
Muscle pain
Headache
Sore throat
New loss of taste or smell

Prevention

The coronavirus is a new, or “novel,” virus. Nobody has a natural immunity to it. Children and teens seem to recover best from the virus. Older people and those with underlying health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease) are considered at high risk, according to the CDC. Precautions are also needed around people with developing or weakened immune systems.
To help prevent the spread of the virus:
Stay at least six feet away from other people
Avoid close contact with people who are or appear sick
Stay at home as much as possible
Cancel events and avoid groups, gatherings, play dates and nonessential appointments
Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care
Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
Cover your mouth and nose with a mask. At a minimum, use a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.

Health experts say face masks are still the most effective way the general public can slow the spread of the coronavirus, but only if the masks are worn appropriately -- over the nose and chin. County and state health officials are reminding and urging people to stay home when they feel sick, avoid large gatherings, and distance yourself six feet from people who aren’t from your household.

To help people understand how their decisions affect their own health and others, the Department of Health Services has a decision tool at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/decision.htm. The tool describes how choices matter and offers suggestions to make activities safer.