CDC: 16 counties have high COVID-19 community levels

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 16 Wisconsin counties have high community levels of COVID-19, including Brown and Door counties in Northeast Wisconsin. Half of the 20 counties we’re tracking in WBAY’s greater viewing area has elevated, or medium, community levels of COVID-19.

High: Brown, Door

Medium: Fond du Lac, Forest, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Langlade, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Sheboygan, Winnebago

Low: Calumet, Dodge, Florence, Manitowoc, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara

A week ago there were 14 counties in the state with high community levels, including Forest County. A week before that, there was only one. The labels are based on new COVID-19 cases per capita, COVID-19 hospitalizations per capita, and the percentage of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.

People living in or visiting counties where there are high community levels of the virus are encouraged to take the extra precautions we’ve heard so much over the last two years: Wear a mask in public, avoid crowds, social distance, wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) says tests confirmed more than 2,000 new cases of COVID-19 (2,118 cases) for a second day in a row. The 7-day average is up from 1,608 to 1,667, the highest 7-day average of new cases since the end of May.

The rate at which tests are coming back positive for the coronavirus is rising right along with those new cases. The DHS says 14.2% of all tests in the last 7 days were positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. While the percentage is preliminary, it’s the highest positivity rate since February 2, when Wisconsin was coming down from the omicron surge.

Eleven counties in WBAY’s greater viewing area saw double-digit increases, from 12 to 77 new cases; eight counties reported between 3 and 9 new cases; Florence County didn’t report any new cases.

Four people were added to COVID-19′s death toll, which is now 13,193. The DHS says all four deaths were in the past month. None was in Northeast Wisconsin. Wisconsin is back to an average of 2 COVID-19 deaths per day; that 7-day average fell to 1 Wednesday, which was nearly a two-month low.

Fifty-five people were hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment since the state’s last report. We calculate the 7-day average is up to 47 admissions for COVID-19 per day.

Thursday there were 462 COVID-19 patients in hospitals for COVID-19, the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHS) said, still the most since March 3. Of these, 61 are in intensive care. It’s 7 more patients in intensive care and 7 more patients overall since Wednesday.

In the Northeast health care region, hospitals have 38 COVID-19 patients with 3 in ICU -- 7 fewer patients overall with no change in the ICU population. Fox Valley hospitals have 13 COVID-19 patients, 5 in ICU, which is 1 more in intensive care but 2 fewer people in the hospital than the day before.

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Vaccination rates are unchanged with 64.6% of Wisconsinites having at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 61.5% of the population completing their vaccine series, as well as 35.1% of the population receiving a booster dose.

Thursday’s Vaccinations by Age Group (and change since last report)

5 to 11: 28.6% received vaccine/25.8% completed vaccinations/0.0% received booster
12 to 17: 62.3% received vaccine/58.9% completed vaccinations/21.6% (+0.1) received booster
18 to 24: 61.0% received vaccine/55.5% (+0.1) completed vaccinations/20.3% received booster
25 to 34: 64.8% received vaccine/60.3% completed vaccinations/26.2% received booster
35 to 44: 69.6% received vaccine/66.2% completed vaccinations/33.8% received booster
45 to 54: 71.9% received vaccine/69.2% completed vaccinations/38.9% received booster
55 to 64: 78.3% received vaccine/75.9% completed vaccinations/50.2% received booster
65 and up: 85.2% received vaccine/82.6% completed vaccinations/68.4% received booster

Thursday’s Vaccinations by County Population (and change since last report)

County (Population) (Health region)	% of population with at least 1 dose	% of population completed series
Brown (264,610) (NE)	66.1%	63.6%
Calumet (50,209) (FV)	57.2% (+0.1)	55.2%
Dodge (87,336)	52.8%	50.7%
Door (27,889) (NE)	79.2%	75.5% (+0.1)
Florence (4,298) (NE)	53.4%	51.0%
Fond du Lac (102,902) (SE)	56.1%	53.8% (+0.1)
Forest (8,960)	53.3%	50.8%
Green Lake (18,908) (FV)	57.8%	55.2%
Kewaunee (20,386) (NE)	52.8%	51.4%
Langlade (19,119)	54.2%	52.1%
Manitowoc (78,757) (NE)	60.9%	58.8%
Marinette (40,262) (NE)	53.8%	51.6%
Menominee (4,546) (FV)	81.7%	78.4%
Oconto (38,383) (NE)	53.3%	51.6%
Outagamie (188,766) (FV)	64.7%	62.1%
Shawano (40,786) (FV)	48.1%	46.6%
Sheboygan (115,240) (SE)	63.3%	60.9%
Waupaca (50,664) (FV)	55.8%	54.0% (+0.1)
Waushara (24,326) (FV)	46.4%	44.6%
Winnebago (171,631) (FV)	62.6%	59.9%
NORTHEAST REGION (474,585) (NE)	300,123 (63.2%)	288,767 (60.8%)
FOX VALLEY REGION (549,836) (FV)	332,101 (60.4%)	318,889 (58.0%)
WISCONSIN (5,832,655)	3,769,088 (64.6%)	3,585,578 (61.5%)

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 change since last report)

Brown – 75,693 cases (+77) (430 deaths)
Calumet – 12,295 cases (+17) (102 deaths)
Dickinson (Mich.)** - 5,322 cases (92 deaths)
Dodge – 25,923 cases (+36) (296 deaths)
Door – 7,235 cases (+5) (62 deaths)
Florence - 857 cases (17 deaths)
Fond du Lac – 31,855 cases (+22) (263 deaths)
Forest - 2,670 cases (+4) (48 deaths)
Gogebic (Mich.)** - 3,076 cases (41 deaths)
Green Lake - 4,679 cases (+5) (56 deaths)
Iron (Mich.)** - 2,533 cases (71 deaths)
Kewaunee – 4,800 cases (+5) (43 deaths)
Langlade - 5,366 cases (+6) (75 deaths)
Manitowoc – 18,834 cases (+37) (163 deaths)
Marinette - 10,340 cases (+13) (112 deaths)
Menominee – 1,996 cases (+3) (15 deaths)
Menominee (Mich.)** - 4,204 cases (61 deaths)
Oconto – 9,778 cases (+9) (98 deaths)
Outagamie – 45,839 cases (+62) (364 deaths)
Shawano – 10,530 cases (+13) (131 deaths)
Sheboygan – 31,910 cases (+34) (275 deaths)
Waupaca – 12,176 cases (+7) (200 deaths)
Waushara – 5,382 cases (+12) (70 deaths)
Winnebago – 48,164 cases (+53) (343 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.