COVID-19 in Wisconsin: Numbers inch back up

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – After plateauing for several days, Wisconsin’s COVID-19 numbers inched up Wednesday, according to the latest report from the state Department of Health Services (DHS).

The latest test results confirmed 1,751 new coronavirus cases, bringing the 7-day average up slightly from 1,415 to 1,422 cases per day. You can see a pattern emerging since June 3 where new cases sit between 828 and 1,945 cases per day.

New COVID-19 cases per day over the past four weeks in Wisconsin(Wisconsin Department of Health Services)

The positivity rate is also staying in a consistent range for the last few weeks. Wednesday it rose to 11.8%. That’s the percentage of COVID-19 tests in the last 7 days that came back positive.

Yesterday we mentioned Wisconsin’s health department only received two death reports since last Friday. Since the last report it received 4. The DHS says three of the people died within the last 30 days, including one in Waupaca County. Door County reported a death that happened more than 30 days ago. Even with the most death reports in 5 days, Wisconsin’s 7-day average fell from 4 to 3 deaths per day as last week’s higher numbers fall out of the equation.

A couple of counties in Northeast Wisconsin sadly hit new milestones. That was Waupaca County’s 200th COVID-19 death, out of 11,935 cases. That’s a death rate of 1.68% of known cases, almost double the state’s death rate of 0.87%. Case numbers are equivalent to 23.6% of the population testing positive for the COVID-19 virus at any time during the pandemic.

Door County passed 7,000 COVID-19 cases (7,007), which is 25.1% of the peninsula county’s population. It’s had 61 COVID-19 deaths since the pandemic began, for a death rate of 0.87%, the same as the statewide rate. Door County has one of the highest vaccination rates in Northeast Wisconsin (see the table later in this article) but it’s a very popular destination with people from outside the county.

Forty-six more people were hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment since the last report. We calculate the 7-day average is 35 hospital admissions per day. These numbers have remained fairly steady for a few weeks, also.

Taking discharges and deaths into account, hospitalizations fell slightly to 382 COVID-19 patients statewide Wednesday, the Wisconsin Hospital Association says, with 64 of them in ICU. That’s 6 fewer people in hospitals since Tuesday but 5 more who are in intensive care, the most in two weeks.

The 10 hospitals in the Northeast health care region are treating 36 patients, 5 in ICU -- that’s 1 fewer patient overall, with no change in the ICU population. The 13 Fox Valley hospitals are caring for 26 COVID-19 patients, 1 more than Tuesday, including 1 added to ICU.

A few vaccination metrics hit new all-time lows. By our calculations: the state averaged 1,489 doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in the past 7 days; these included a low 702 booster shots per day.

An average 242 Wisconsin residents completed their vaccine series each day over the last week, and 604 received an additional boost.

There’s a fifth vaccination metric, Wisconsinites having at least their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. That hit its low point of 196 people per day on June 3 and has stayed above that, getting as high as 313 per day since then. The current average is 223 more people per day having at least one dose.

To date, 64.5% of Wisconsinites received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, with 61.4% of the state’s population completing the vaccine series, and 34.8% of the population getting at least one booster shot.

Wednesday’s Vaccinations by Age Group (and changes since last report)

5 to 11: 28.3% (+0.1) received vaccine/25.5% (+0.1) completed vaccinations/0.0% received booster
12 to 17: 62.1% received vaccine/58.7% completed vaccinations/20.8% received booster
18 to 24: 60.8% received vaccine/55.2% completed vaccinations/20.0% received booster
25 to 34: 64.7% (+0.1) received vaccine/60.1% completed vaccinations/25.9% received booster
35 to 44: 69.5% received vaccine/66.1% completed vaccinations/33.6% received booster
45 to 54: 71.9% received vaccine/69.1% completed vaccinations/38.6% received booster
55 to 64: 78.2% received vaccine/75.8% completed vaccinations/49.9% received booster
65 and up: 85.3% received vaccine/82.6% completed vaccinations/68.3% 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)	66.0%	63.4%
Calumet (50,209) (FV)	57.1%	55.0%
Dodge (87,336)	52.8%	50.6%
Door (27,889) (NE)	79.1% (+0.1)	75.3%
Florence (4,298) (NE)	53.3%	50.8%
Fond du Lac (102,902) (SE)	56.1% (+0.1)	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%	52.0%
Manitowoc (78,757) (NE)	60.8%	58.7%
Marinette (40,262) (NE)	53.7%	51.5%
Menominee (4,546) (FV)	81.5% (+0.1)	78.2% (+0.1)
Oconto (38,383) (NE)	53.1%	51.4%
Outagamie (188,766) (FV)	64.6%	62.0%
Shawano (40,786) (FV)	48.1%	46.5%
Sheboygan (115,240) (SE)	63.3% (+0.1)	60.8%
Waupaca (50,664) (FV)	55.7%	53.8%
Waushara (24,326) (FV)	46.4%	44.5%
Winnebago (171,631) (FV)	62.5%	59.8%
NORTHEAST REGION (474,585) (NE)	299,672 (63.1%)	288,148 (60.7%)
FOX VALLEY REGION (549,836) (FV)	331,581 (60.3%)	318,228 (57.9%)
WISCONSIN (5,832,655)	3,763,552 (64.5%)	3,578,536 (61.4%, +0.1)

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 – 73,928 cases (+73) (428 deaths)
Calumet – 12,060 cases (+9) (100 deaths)
Dickinson (Mich.)** - 5,219 cases (+18) (91 deaths) (+2)
Dodge – 25,432 cases (+26) (294 deaths)
Door – 7,007 cases (+14) (61 deaths)
Florence - 842 cases (17 deaths)
Fond du Lac – 31,118 cases (+45) (263 deaths) (+1)
Forest - 2,567 cases (+5) (48 deaths)
Gogebic (Mich.)** - 2,899 cases (+24) (40 deaths)
Green Lake - 4,538 cases (+3) (55 deaths)
Iron (Mich.)** - 2,441 cases (+23) (71 deaths)
Kewaunee – 4,724 cases (+4) (42 deaths)
Langlade - 5,217 cases (+4) (75 deaths)
Manitowoc – 18,290 cases (+36) (162 deaths)
Marinette - 10,130 cases (+6) (110 deaths)
Menominee – 1,961 cases (+1) (15 deaths)
Menominee (Mich.)** - 4,125 cases (+25) (61 deaths)
Oconto – 9,603 cases (+8) (97 deaths)
Outagamie – 44,769 cases (+20) (363 deaths)
Shawano – 10,330 cases (+9) (131 deaths)
Sheboygan – 31,120 cases (+38) (273 deaths)
Waupaca – 11,935 cases (+9) (200 deaths) (+1)
Waushara – 5,264 cases (+6) (70 deaths)
Winnebago – 47,016 cases (+39) (339 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.