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MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – Wisconsin’s seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases has now dropped below 400, just two days after dropping below 500.
On Sunday, the Department of Health Services (DHS) announced another 329 people were positive in the latest round of test results. That helped bring the seven-day case average down to 390 from Saturday’s average of 410.
The 329 new cases came out of a total of 3,850 tests, making the positivity rate of those tests to 8.55%, a slight drop from Saturday. However, If you look at positive results among all the tests turned in to the state, including those who were tested multiple times, the positivity rate dipped to 2.1% on Saturday, which is the latest data available.
Sunday’s seven-day death average increased to 10 after falling to nine on Saturday. The average on Saturday was the first time it has been in the single digits since September 29.
DHS officials reported three new deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the statewide death toll to 6,481, or 1.14% of all confirmed cases. The deaths were reported in Douglas, Sheboygan and Vernon Counties. 47 of the state’s 72 counties reported new cases, while the Winnebago County case number was revised.
The other 3,3521 results released Sunday, making a statewide total of people who have tested negative 2,647,864.
According to the DHS, there have been a total of 566,693 people who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus throughout the past 13 months. Out of those, 553,203 people are considered recovered, or 97.6% of all cases. Another 6,850 people (1.2%) are considered as active cases.
Health officials emphasize it’s not time to let our guard down. During Thursday’s health briefing, they reiterated the importance of wearing masks, washing hands, and social distancing, and begged people to stay the course for at least two more months: Wait for more people to get vaccinated and for the weather to improve so more social events can be outdoors.
VACCINATIONS
More than 10% of Wisconsinites have completed the vaccine series for COVID-19.
According to the DHS, 10,846 more people completed their two-dose vaccinations than the state reported Saturday, bringing that total to 602,002, or 10.3% of the state’s population. Out of that percentage, 31.4% are Wisconsinites who are 65 and older.
The state could see a sudden increase in that number this coming week, as well as next week, when the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is delivered and administered to educators.
The latest reports from vaccinators total 1,070,494 people getting a shot of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, which is 19,335 more people than Saturday’s report.
There have been 1,707,486 “shots in the arm” since December 13 counting Wisconsin residents and non-residents. That’s 30,501 more doses than Saturday. Wisconsin’s 7-day average now at 39,987 doses per day.
The state launched a toll-free hotline to answer questions about COVID-19 vaccines: 1-844-684-1064. Call center staff can help to find a vaccinator and assist with registering for an appointment. The hotline is especially intended for people who don’t have internet access, so please share this with anyone you know who could benefit. The state is still in the process of rolling out a statewide vaccine registry.
CLICK HERE for the Action 2 News guide to vaccine clinics and vaccinators, including phone numbers and websites to make appointments and information on free rides to appointments in Calumet, Outagamie and Winnebago counties.
HOSPITALIZATIONS
The DHS reported 25 new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the past 24-hour period, which is far below the 7-day average of 47 hospitalizations per day. That average decrease from Saturday’s report of 50. State officials say 26,457 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 at some point in the past year, which is 4.7% of all cases.
The latest hospital numbers show there is one more patient in intensive care units Sunday than there were on Saturday. The Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reported 249 COVID-19 patients overall in the state’s hospitals Sunday, six fewer than the day before, with 66 of them in ICU. The overall hospitalizations are the lowest we’ve ever recorded, with our data going back to August 1, 2020.
Locally, the 13 Fox Valley region hospitals are treating 14 COVID-19 patients, an increase of one from Saturday., none of which, according to the WHA, are in the ICU. That’s a decrease of one from Saturday.
In the Northeast region, 30 patients are being treated at 10 hospitals, a decrease of four, with 15 in ICU, which increased by four from Saturday.
Changes in daily hospitalization figures take deaths and discharges into account.
HOSPITAL READINESS
In terms of hospital readiness, the WHA reported the state’s 134 hospitals had a total 338 ICU beds (23.05%) and 2,530 of all medical beds (22.64%) -- ICU, intermediate care, medical surgical and negative flow isolation beds -- available on Friday.
The Fox Valley’s hospitals had 7 ICU beds available -- one fewer than Saturday. There were 102 of all types of medical beds open (11.95%) open for the eight counties they serve. The WHA says there are no Intermediate Care beds available in the Fox Valley.
Northeast region hospitals had 33 ICU beds (15.94%) and 262 of all medical beds (27.40%) available.
These are beds for all patients, not just COVID-19, and because a bed is open or available doesn’t mean a hospital can put a patient in it if there isn’t enough staffing, including doctors, nurses and food services.
SUNDAY’S COUNTY CASES AND DEATHS (Counties with new cases or deaths are indicated in bold) *
Wisconsin
- Adams – 1,591 cases (+2) (10 deaths)
- Ashland – 1,175 cases (+1) (16 deaths)
- Barron – 5,426 cases (+5) (76 deaths)
- Bayfield - 1,059 cases (19 deaths)
- Brown – 30,288 cases (+4) (222 deaths)
- Buffalo – 1,321 cases (7 deaths)
- Burnett – 1,209 cases (23 deaths)
- Calumet – 5,485 (+1) (43 deaths)
- Chippewa – 7,080 cases (+3) (93 deaths)
- Clark – 3,159 cases (57 deaths)
- Columbia – 5,074 cases (+7) (54 deaths)
- Crawford – 1,668 cases (+1) (17 deaths)
- Dane – 40,944 (+49) (278 deaths)
- Dodge – 11,461 cases (+1) (157 deaths)
- Door – 2,428 cases (+2) (20 deaths)
- Douglas – 3,652 cases (27 deaths) (+1)
- Dunn – 4,283 cases (+4) (29 deaths)
- Eau Claire – 11,046 cases (+4) (105 deaths)
- Florence - 422 cases (+1) (12 deaths)
- Fond du Lac – 11,974 cases (+1) (97 deaths)
- Forest - 925 cases (23 deaths)
- Grant – 4,672 cases (+2) (81 deaths)
- Green – 3,190 cases (+3) (16 deaths)
- Green Lake - 1,521 cases (18 deaths)
- Iowa - 1,883 cases (+6) (10 deaths)
- Iron - 552 cases (+1) (21 deaths)
- Jackson - 2,584 cases (23 deaths)
- Jefferson – 7,921 cases (+9) (113 deaths)
- Juneau - 2,989 cases (+3) (19 deaths)
- Kenosha – 14,822 cases (+7) (301 deaths)
- Kewaunee – 2,414 cases (+1) (27 deaths)
- La Crosse – 12,291 cases (+4) (80 deaths)
- Lafayette - 1,464 cases (6 deaths)
- Langlade - 1,937 cases (32 deaths)
- Lincoln – 2,917 cases (59 deaths)
- Manitowoc – 7,260 cases (64 deaths)
- Marathon – 13,700 cases (+5) (181 deaths)
- Marinette - 3,970 cases (63 deaths)
- Marquette – 1,313 cases (21 deaths)
- Menominee - 795 cases (11 deaths)
- Milwaukee – 98,701 (+87) (1,244 deaths)
- Monroe – 4,338 cases (+2) (33 deaths)
- Oconto – 4,286 cases (+5) (48 deaths)
- Oneida - 3,416 cases (+4) (69 deaths)
- Outagamie – 19,391 cases (+15) (197 deaths)
- Ozaukee – 7,654 cases (+6) (80 deaths)
- Pepin – 806 cases (7 deaths)
- Pierce – 3,499 cases (33 deaths)
- Polk – 3,963 cases (+2) (43 deaths)
- Portage – 6,495 cases (+1) (64 deaths)
- Price – 1,165 case (7 deaths)
- Racine – 20,384 cases (+6) (323 deaths)
- Richland - 1,293 cases (15 deaths)
- Rock – 14,482 cases (+13) (159 deaths)
- Rusk - 1,266 cases (+2) (16 deaths)
- Sauk – 5,323 cases (+12) (42 deaths)
- Sawyer - 1,532 cases (+2) (22 deaths)
- Shawano – 4,603 cases (70 deaths)
- Sheboygan – 12,976 cases (+8) (132 deaths) (+1)
- St. Croix – 6,454 cases (+7) (43 deaths)
- Taylor - 1,767 cases (21 deaths)
- Trempealeau – 3,405 cases (+2) (37 deaths)
- Vernon – 1,841 cases (+2) (38 deaths) (+1)
- Vilas - 2,156 cases (+3) (38 deaths)
- Walworth – 8,875 cases (129 deaths)
- Washburn – 1,303 cases (18 deaths)
- Washington – 13,853 cases (+7) (135 deaths)
- Waukesha – 40,927 cases (+10) (487 deaths)
- Waupaca – 4,751 cases (+3) (111 deaths)
- Waushara – 2,106 cases (32 deaths)
- Winnebago – 17,124 cases (State revised, decrease of 1) (183 deaths)
- Wood – 6,693 cases (+4) (74 deaths)
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula **
- Alger - 278 cases (1 death)
- Baraga - 507 cases (32 deaths)
- Chippewa - 729 cases (23 deaths)
- Delta – 2,671 cases (65 deaths)
- Dickinson - 2,133 cases (55 deaths)
- Gogebic - 936 cases (20 deaths)
- Houghton – 2,139 cases (32 deaths)
- Iron – 866 cases (40 deaths)
- Keweenaw – 115 cases (1 death)
- Luce – 132 cases
- Mackinac - 294 cases (3 deaths)
- Marquette - 3,466 cases (55 deaths)
- Menominee - 1,617 cases (36 deaths)
- Ontonagon – 359 cases (19 deaths)
- Schoolcraft - 230 cases (4 deaths)
* Cases and deaths are from the daily DHS COVID-19 reports, which may differ from local health department numbers. The 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.
The DHS reports deaths attributed to COVID-19 or in which COVID-19 contributed to their death. Most of the people severely affected by the coronavirus have underlying illnesses or conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or obesity, which raises a person’s risk of dying from COVID-19. They would’ve lived longer if not for their infection. The state may revise case and death numbers after further review, such as the victim’s residence, duplicated records, or a correction in lab results. Details can be found on the DHS website and Frequently Asked Questions.
**The state of Michigan does not update numbers on Sundays. Monday’s numbers include updates since Saturday’s reporting deadline.
COVID-19 Tracing App
Wisconsin’s COVID-19 tracing app, “Wisconsin Exposure Notification,” is available for iOS and Android smartphones. No download is required for iPhones. The Android app is available on Google Play. When two phones with the app (and presumably their owners) are close enough, for long enough, they’ll anonymously share a random string of numbers via Bluetooth. If someone tests positive for the coronavirus, they’ll receive a code to type into the app. If your phones “pinged” each other in the last 14 days, you’ll receive a push notification that you are at risk of exposure. The app doesn’t collect personal information or location information, so you won’t know from whom or where, but you will be told what day the exposure might have occurred so that you can quarantine for the appropriate amount of time.
Symptoms
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified these as possible symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever of 100.4 or higher
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
Prevention
Nobody has a natural immunity to the coronavirus. Children and teens seem to recover best from the virus. Older people and those with underlying health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease) are considered at high risk, according to the CDC. Precautions are also needed around people with developing or weakened immune systems. To help prevent the spread of the virus:
- Wear a face mask in public
- Stay at least six feet away from people from outside your household
- Avoid close contact with people who are or appear sick
- Stay at home as much as possible
- Don’t go to work if you feel sick
- Cancel events and avoid groups, gatherings, play dates and non-essential appointments
Copyright 2021 WBAY. All rights reserved.
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