COVID-19 in Wisconsin: Cases stay below 1,400; deaths up

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – For the second day in a row, the 7-day average of new cases stayed below 1,400, according to the state Department of Health Services (DHS). Wisconsin hasn’t seen two consecutive days below that mark since the first two days of May. Wisconsin averaged 1,393 new cases per day, a little higher than Tuesday’s 1,381 average. A total of 1,787 tests came back positive in the latest batch of results.

The positivity rate continues to yo-yo in the narrow range between 11.5% and 11.9% of COVID-19 tests coming back positive for the coronavirus. Wednesday it was back up to 11.8%, where it was on Monday, after a day at 11.6%.

Ten counties in WBAY’s wider viewing area reported new cases in the double digits. Eight reported single-digit increases. Florence and Menominee counties didn’t report new cases. Outagamie County reached 45,000 cases (45,004), which is equivalent to 22.3% of its population testing positive at least once during the pandemic; 1.12% of those cases were fatal. Statewide, the infection rate is equivalent to 26.0% of the population having a confirmed case, with 0.87% of those people dying.

Since the state’s last report, 10 deaths attributed to COVID-19 were added to death toll, bringing it to 13,131. The DHS says all 10 of them died recently, including people from Calumet, Green Lake and Sheboygan counties. This raises the 7-day average from 3 to 5 deaths per day, according to the DHS. It was only the fourth time in two months the state received 10 or more death reports in a single day.

Thirty-three people were hospitalized for COVID-19 in past 24-hour period. That matches our calculation for the 7-day average (33.3). After taking discharges and deaths into account, there were 8 more patients in hospitals around the state but 1 fewer in ICU than a day ago. The Wisconsin Hospital Association reported 379 COVID-19 patients on Wednesday, with 46 of them in intensive care, still the fewest in ICU at one time since May 18.

Hospitals in the Northeast health care region saw no change from Tuesday; they were treating 40 patients, with 4 of them in intensive care units. Fox Valley hospitals had 15 patients, none of them in ICU; that’s 2 out of ICU and 2 fewer people in hospitals.

COVID-19 vaccinations increased to 64.6% of all Wisconsin residents rolling up their sleeve for at least their first dose, which is 3,765,032 Wisconsinites over the age of 5. The DHS says 61.4% of Wisconsinites completed their vaccine series -- either with two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine; that’s 3,580,136 people so far. And we’re crawling towards 35% of the population having an additional, booster dose as well, currently at 2,034,352 Wisconsin residents age 12 or older.

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

5 to 11: 28.4% (+0.1) received vaccine/25.5% completed vaccinations/0.0% received booster
12 to 17: 62.1% received vaccine/58.7% completed vaccinations/21.0% received booster
18 to 24: 60.9% received vaccine/55.3% completed vaccinations/20.1% received booster
25 to 34: 64.7% received vaccine/60.1% completed vaccinations/26.0% received booster
35 to 44: 69.6% received vaccine/66.2% (+0.1) completed vaccinations/33.6% received booster
45 to 54: 71.9% received vaccine/69.1% completed vaccinations/38.7% received booster
55 to 64: 78.3% received vaccine/75.8% completed vaccinations/50.0% 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%	63.5%
Calumet (50,209) (FV)	57.1%	55.0%
Dodge (87,336)	52.8%	50.7%
Door (27,889) (NE)	79.1%	75.4% (+0.1)
Florence (4,298) (NE)	53.2% (-0.1)	50.8%
Fond du Lac (102,902) (SE)	56.1%	53.7% (+0.1)
Forest (8,960)	53.1%	50.7%
Green Lake (18,908) (FV)	57.7%	55.1% (+0.1)
Kewaunee (20,386) (NE)	52.7%	51.4%
Langlade (19,119)	54.1%	52.1%
Manitowoc (78,757) (NE)	60.9% (+0.1)	58.7%
Marinette (40,262) (NE)	53.7%	51.5%
Menominee (4,546) (FV)	81.6% (+0.1)	78.3% (+0.1)
Oconto (38,383) (NE)	53.2%	51.5%
Outagamie (188,766) (FV)	64.6%	62.0%
Shawano (40,786) (FV)	48.1%	46.5%
Sheboygan (115,240) (SE)	63.3%	60.8%
Waupaca (50,664) (FV)	55.7%	53.9%
Waushara (24,326) (FV)	46.4%	44.5%
Winnebago (171,631) (FV)	62.6%	59.8%
NORTHEAST REGION (474,585) (NE)	299,795 (63.2%)	288,338 (60.8%, +0.1)
FOX VALLEY REGION (549,836) (FV)	331,703 (60.3%)	318,324 (57.9%)
WISCONSIN (5,832,655)	3,765,032 (64.6%, +0.1)	3,580,136 (61.4%)

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 – 74,311 cases (+76) (428 deaths)
Calumet – 12,116 cases (+10) (101 deaths) (+1)
Dickinson (Mich.)** - 5,237 cases (91 deaths)
Dodge – 25,525 cases (+24) (294 deaths)
Door – 7,058 cases (+17) (62 deaths)
Florence - 847 cases (17 deaths)
Fond du Lac – 31,283 cases (+31) (263 deaths)
Forest - 2,596 cases (+5) (48 deaths)
Gogebic (Mich.)** - 2,938 cases (40 deaths)
Green Lake - 4,565 cases (+2) (56 deaths) (+1)
Iron (Mich.)** - 2,470 cases (71 deaths)
Kewaunee – 4,733 cases (+1) (43 deaths)
Langlade - 5,264 cases (+10) (75 deaths)
Manitowoc – 18,404 cases (+18) (162 deaths)
Marinette - 10,164 cases (+4) (111 deaths)
Menominee – 1,964 cases (15 deaths)
Menominee (Mich.)** - 4,141 cases (61 deaths)
Oconto – 9,641 cases (+4) (97 deaths)
Outagamie – 45,004 cases (+33) (364 deaths) (+1)
Shawano – 10,374 cases (+9) (131 deaths)
Sheboygan – 31,292 cases (+27) (274 deaths) (+1)
Waupaca – 11,990 cases (+5) (200 deaths)
Waushara – 5,281 cases (+2) (70 deaths)
Winnebago – 47,266 cases (+53) (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 Tuesdays.

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.