Wisconsin sees bump in COVID-19 deaths reported, hospitalizations

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – Wisconsin is averaging its fewest COVID-19 cases in almost a month, with the Department of Health Services reporting 1,173 new cases diagnosed in the last 24-hour period. That’s about 200 more cases than were diagnosed the day before. With 2,410 cases identified a week and a day ago out of the equation, the 7-day average dropped sharply to 1,610 cases per day Wednesday; that rolling average was 1,748 cases the day before.

In WBAY’s wider viewing area, eight counties had new cases in double digits, 11 counties were in single digits, and Oconto County’s case total was revised down by 1.

Update: The DHS says the positivity rate rose very slightly to 13.1% of all tests in the last 7 days positive for the coronavirus, up from 13.0%.

Nine deaths were reported to the DHS, raising the COVID-19 death toll to 13,010. The DHS says all of the deaths were recent, including ones reported by Dodge, Outagamie and Waupaca counties. That was the most deaths reported in a week, failing to offset the 10 recent deaths reported a week and a day ago, so the 7-day average did not change; Wisconsin is averaging 4 deaths per day from COVID-19.

The DHS also reported the largest number of hospitalizations in one day since March. Fifty-nine more hospital admissions for COVID-19 were reported.

Taking discharges and deaths into account, there were 15 more people in hospitals for COVID-19 treatment, including 7 more in intensive care than Tuesday. The Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reported 391 COVID-19 patients statewide, 58 of them in ICU. It’s the most COVID patients in ICU at one time in 84 days, which was the last time the state had 60 COVID-19 patients in intensive care.

Hospitals in the Northeast health care region have 31 patients, 2 in ICU -- 3 more patients than the day before but no change in the number in ICU. Hospitals in the Fox Valley region have 16 COVID-19 patients, the same as Tuesday, with 1 in ICU, which is 1 fewer than a day ago.

We don’t know if the vaccination numbers released Wednesday are affected by Tuesday’s technical difficulties, but by our calculations, the 7-day averages fell to new lows in 4 of the 5 metrics: Total doses administered (1,680/day), total boosters (815/day), Wisconsinites getting at least their first vaccine shot (212/day), and Wisconsinites getting booster shots (731/day). The 7-day average of Wisconsinites completing their vaccine series, of 315 per day, is only a little above its all-time low of 306. These numbers tend to wax and wane as vaccinators’ reports can be delayed by days.

Vaccination data were not updated Tuesday, with the DHS citing technical difficulties. The vaccination numbers below reflects changes since Monday.

3 out of 5 Wisconsin residents in the 25 to 34 age group completed their vaccinations, which means two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or, less frequently, one dose of a Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Wednesday’s Vaccinations by Age Group

5 to 11: 28.0% received vaccine/25.2% (+0.1) completed vaccinations/0.0% received booster
12 to 17: 61.9% received vaccine/58.5% (+0.1) completed vaccinations/20.1% (+0.1) received booster
18 to 24: 60.6% received vaccine/55.0% completed vaccinations/19.7% received booster
25 to 34: 64.5% received vaccine/60.0% (+0.1) completed vaccinations/25.7% received booster
35 to 44: 69.5% (+0.1) received vaccine/66.0% completed vaccinations/33.3% received booster
45 to 54: 71.8% received vaccine/69.0% completed vaccinations/38.3% received booster
55 to 64: 78.2% received vaccine/75.7% completed vaccinations/49.6% received booster
65 and up: 85.4% (+0.1) received vaccine/82.6% completed vaccinations/68.0% received booster

Wednesday’s Vaccinations by County Population

County (Population) (Health region)	% of population with at least 1 dose	% of population completed series
Brown (264,610) (NE)	65.9%	63.3%
Calumet (50,209) (FV)	57.0%	54.9%
Dodge (87,336)	52.7%	50.6%
Door (27,889) (NE)	78.9%	75.1%
Florence (4,298) (NE)	53.2% (+0.1)	50.6%
Fond du Lac (102,902) (SE)	56.0%	53.5%
Forest (8,960)	53.0%	50.5%
Green Lake (18,908) (FV)	57.5%	54.9%
Kewaunee (20,386) (NE)	52.7%	51.3%
Langlade (19,119)	54.1% (+0.1)	52.0%
Manitowoc (78,757) (NE)	60.8%	58.6%
Marinette (40,262) (NE)	53.7%	51.4%
Menominee (4,546) (FV)	81.2%	77.9%
Oconto (38,383) (NE)	53.1%	51.4%
Outagamie (188,766) (FV)	64.5%	61.9%
Shawano (40,786) (FV)	48.0%	46.5%
Sheboygan (115,240) (SE)	63.2%	60.7%
Waupaca (50,664) (FV)	55.6%	53.8%
Waushara (24,326) (FV)	46.3%	44.4%
Winnebago (171,631) (FV)	62.5%	59.7%
NORTHEAST REGION (474,585) (NE)	299,337 (63.1%)	287,702 (60.6%)
FOX VALLEY REGION (549,836) (FV)	331,182 (60.2%)	317,741 (57.8%)
WISCONSIN (5,832,655)	3,758,547 (64.4%)	3,572,512 (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.

WEDNESDAY’S COUNTY CASE AND DEATH TOTALS* (boldface indicates change since the last report)

Brown – 72,696 cases (+58) (426 deaths)
Calumet – 11,880 cases (+4) (99 deaths)
Dickinson (Mich.)** - 5,143 cases (+30) (88 deaths)
Dodge – 25,135 cases (+15) (295 deaths) (+1)
Door – 6,860 cases (+9) (61 deaths)
Florence - 829 cases (+1) (17 deaths)
Fond du Lac – 30,625 cases (+25) (261 deaths)
Forest - 2,495 cases (+5) (48 deaths)
Gogebic (Mich.)** - 2,825 cases (+11) (40 deaths)
Green Lake - 4,450 cases (+4) (55 deaths)
Iron (Mich.)** - 2,382 cases (+22) (71 deaths)
Kewaunee – 4,685 cases (+4) (42 deaths)
Langlade - 5,074 cases (+10) (75 deaths)
Manitowoc – 17,963 cases (+13) (161 deaths)
Marinette - 9,976 cases (+5) (108 deaths)
Menominee – 1,956 cases (+4) (15 deaths)
Menominee (Mich.)** - 4,054 cases (+15) (61 deaths) (+1)
Oconto – 9,518 cases (cases revised -1 by state) (97 deaths)
Outagamie – 43,901 cases (+27) (361 deaths) (+1)
Shawano – 10,210 cases (+6) (129 deaths)
Sheboygan – 30,472 cases (+17) (272 deaths)
Waupaca – 11,732 cases (+7) (197 deaths) (+1)
Waushara – 5,197 cases (+3) (70 deaths)
Winnebago – 46,103 cases (+24) (336 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 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.