COVID-19 in Wisconsin: Over 1,000 cases confirmed for 2nd day, rate of positive tests rises

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – There’s a saying that once is chance, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a pattern. Wisconsin’s sharp increase in new COVID-19 cases Wednesday was not chance. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported over 1,300 new cases (1,310) a day after receiving 1,585 positive tests. This is the first time since the week of February 13 that the state had two consecutive days with more than 1,000 confirmed cases. Two counties in WBAY’s wider viewing area did not report new cases. Six reported new cases in double digits and the other 12 had single-digit increases.

The 7-day average of new cases jumped again to 832 cases per day, almost 200 more than where the rolling average was two days ago. This is the first time it’s been over 800 since February 23 if you ignore the anomaly two weeks ago when a backlog of cases was added to the state’s disease surveillance database. We don’t know if the new cases are tied to Spring Break vacations or gatherings during this past weekend of religious observances, but the DHS tells us the majority of cases are from tests after the holiday weekend.

The positivity rate is nearly 7% of all tests (6.9%) in the last week proving positive for the coronavirus. The positivity rate has been below 7% since February 19.

The silver lining is that hospitalizations and deaths remain very low.

For the third day in a row, Wisconsin is averaging 2 COVID-19 deaths per day. Three people were added to the death toll, including one in Outagamie County. The state says all of these people died within the last 30 days, but it did not raise the 7-day average.

DHS numbers show 16 people were admitted to hospitals for COVID-19 -- less than half as many new patients as the day before. But new admissions still outpaced discharges and deaths. The Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reports 156 COVID-19 patients were in hospitals Thursday, 15 more than the day before, and 32 of them were in ICU, 8 more.

The 10 hospitals in the Northeast health care region together reported 17 COVID-19 patients, 3 in ICU -- that’s 1 more patient in the hospital but one less in ICU since Wednesday. There are 7 COVID-19 patients among the Fox Valley hospitals, 3 of them in ICU -- one more patient overall and 2 more in ICU.

Statewide, Wisconsin “moved the dial” on COVID-19 vaccinations, with 64.3% of the population now having at least one dose. After a brief rise, the 7-day averages on vaccinations are falling back to the lowest in our records -- even lower than when vaccinations first began and supplies and who could get them were severely limited.

Thursday’s Vaccinations by Age Group

5 to 11: 27.5% received vaccine/24.6% completed vaccinations
12 to 17: 61.5% received vaccine/58.0% completed vaccinations/18.9% received booster
18 to 24: 60.2% received vaccine/54.7% completed vaccinations/19.0% received booster
25 to 34: 64.2% received vaccine/59.6% completed vaccinations/25.0% received booster
35 to 44: 69.2% (+0.1) received vaccine/65.8% completed vaccinations/32.6% (-0.1) received booster
45 to 54: 71.7% received vaccine/68.8% completed vaccinations/37.6% received booster
55 to 64: 78.1% received vaccine/75.5% completed vaccinations/48.8% received booster
65 and up: 85.5% (+0.1) received vaccine/82.4% completed vaccinations/67.3% received booster

Thursday’s Vaccinations by County Population

Seven of the 20 counties we’re tracking in WBAY’s viewing area saw increases in their populations completing their vaccine series today, but none saw an increase in the percentage of residents getting their first dose.

County (Population) (Health region)	% of population with at least 1 dose	% of population completed series
Brown (264,542) (NE)	65.7%	63.1% (+0.1)
Calumet (50,089) (FV)	56.9%	54.8%
Dodge (87,839)	52.6%	50.4%
Door (27,668) (NE)	78.6%	74.6% (+0.1)
Florence (4,295) (NE)	52.9%	50.2%
Fond du Lac (103,403) (SE)	55.8%	53.3%
Forest (9,004)	52.7%	50.2%
Green Lake (18,913) (FV)	57.3%	54.7%
Kewaunee (20,434) (NE)	52.7%	51.1%
Langlade (19,189)	54.0%	51.9% (+0.1)
Manitowoc (78,981) (NE)	60.6%	58.4% (+0.1)
Marinette (40,350) (NE)	53.5%	51.2%
Menominee (4,556) (FV)	80.6%	77.1%
Oconto (37,930) (NE)	52.9%	51.2% (+0.1)
Outagamie (187,885) (FV)	64.3%	61.7% (+0.1)
Shawano (40,899) (FV)	47.9%	46.3%
Sheboygan (115,340) (SE)	63.0%	60.5%
Waupaca (50,990) (FV)	55.6%	53.6%
Waushara (24,443) (FV)	46.2%	44.2%
Winnebago (171,907) (FV)	62.3%	59.5% (+0.1)
NORTHEAST REGION (474,200) (NE)	298,369 (62.9%)	286,424 (60.4%, +0.1)
FOX VALLEY REGION (549,682) (FV)	330,414 (60.1%)	316,584 (57.6%)
WISCONSIN (5,822,434)	3,747,489 (64.3%, +0.1)	3,556,754 (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.

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

Note: Michigan only updates county case and death totals on Wednesdays

Brown – 70,352 cases (+37) (425 deaths)
Calumet – 11,563 cases (+6) (99 deaths)
Dickinson (Mich.) - 4,987 cases (86 deaths)
Dodge – 24,550 cases (+13) (294 deaths)
Door – 6,608 cases (+2) (61 deaths)
Florence - 813 cases (16 deaths)
Fond du Lac – 29,567 cases (+28) (254 deaths)
Forest - 2,437 cases (+3) (48 deaths)
Gogebic (Mich.) - 2,744 cases (40 deaths)
Green Lake - 4,243 cases (+4) (54 deaths)
Iron (Mich.) - 2,316 cases (71 deaths)
Kewaunee – 4,561 cases (+1) (42 deaths)
Langlade - 4,882 cases (73 deaths)
Manitowoc – 17,358 cases (+5) (158 deaths)
Marinette - 9,695 cases (+6) (104 deaths)
Menominee – 1,845 (+1) (14 deaths)
Menominee (Mich.) - 3,945 cases (60 deaths)
Oconto – 9,344 cases (+1) (96 deaths)
Outagamie – 42,623 cases (+42) (356 deaths) (+1)
Shawano – 9,769 cases (+3) (127 deaths)
Sheboygan – 29,487 cases (+11) (267 deaths)
Waupaca – 11,348 cases (+3) (194 deaths)
Waushara – 5,008 cases (+3) (70 deaths)
Winnebago – 44,180 cases (+39) (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 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

** 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.