COVID-19 hospitalizations fall below 50 per day
MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – Fewer than 500 COVID-19 cases (477) were found in the latest test results given to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), according to the state’s report on Friday. The 7-day average is falling closer to the 500 mark, now at 525 cases per day, down from 560 yesterday. Wisconsin hasn’t averaged fewer than 500 cases since July 27 last year, so we’ll be watching that when state reports resume after the weekend. The state has had 1,383,739 confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 25 months.
Of the 20 Wisconsin counties we’re tracking, only one -- Brown County -- had a double-digit increase in new cases. Six counties had no new cases to report, 12 had single-digit increases, and Kewaunee County’s case total was revised.
The positivity rate hit the rip cord after almost two months in freefall. Yesterday the rolling average was 3.8%, today it’s 3.7%, down just one-tenth of a percentage point. Two months ago the positivity rate peaked at 29.5% of all tests positive for the COVID-19 virus. Yesterday was the first time since July it was below 4%. If you think back early in the pandemic, scientists said 3% was the threshold where they considered the spread of the virus is being managed.
The state is still averaging 9 COVID-19 deaths per day, the same as yesterday, the first time in six months the average was in single digits was in single digits. There were 32 death reports submitted to the state in the past day, but the DHS says 11 of them were in the past month, not enough to change the 7-day average. The state reports 12,089 total deaths since the first deaths a month after the pandemic reached Wisconsin.
Eight counties in Northeast Wisconsin accounted for 12 of the 32 death reports: Dodge, Fond du Lac (2), Green Lake (2), Kewaunee, Oconto (2), Outagamie (2), Sheboygan and Winnebago. As always, county case and death totals can be found at the end of this article.
DHS data show 37 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 since the last report, the smallest one-day increase in exactly four weeks. By our calculations, the state averaged 49 hospital admissions each day over the past week, the lowest 7-day average since August 2, 2021.
The Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reports 443 COVID-19 patients are in the state’s hospitals, with 77 in ICUs. That’s 6 fewer patients in intensive care and 31 fewer people in hospitals than a day ago after taking discharges and deaths into account.
In the Northeast health care region, hospitals were treating 53 patients, 10 in ICU -- 1 more in intensive care but 3 fewer people overall. Meanwhile, Fox Valley region hospitals had 35 COVID-19 patients, including 3 in ICU -- that’s 1 fewer in intensive care and 3 fewer in hospitals overall.
The latest reports from vaccinators show 64.0% of the state’s population received a COVID-19 vaccine (3,730,193 people). This includes 60.5% of the population (3,526,013 people) completing the vaccine series with one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two doses of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. It also includes 32.8% of the population having a booster shot, including 66.3% of seniors over 65. There’s about 6% of the population that’s too young to get vaccinated -- kids under age 5.
Friday’s Vaccinations by Age Group (and change since last report)
- 5 to 11: 26.6% received vaccine (+0.0)/23.2% completed vaccinations (+0.0)
- 12 to 17: 60.8% received vaccine (+0.0)/56.9% completed vaccinations (+0.0)
- 18 to 24: 59.6% received vaccine (+0.0)/53.9% completed vaccinations (+0.1)
- 25 to 34: 63.7% received vaccine (+0.0)/58.9% completed vaccinations (+0.1)
- 35 to 44: 68.9% received vaccine (+0.0)/65.3% completed vaccinations (+0.0)
- 45 to 54: 71.4% received vaccine (+0.0)/68.4% completed vaccinations (+0.0)
- 55 to 64: 77.9% received vaccine (+0.0)/75.2% completed vaccinations (+0.0)
- 65 and up: 85.7% received vaccine (+0.0)/82.4% completed vaccinations (+0.0)
Friday’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 (264,542) (NE) | 65.4% | 62.4% |
| Calumet (50,089) (FV) | 56.7% | 54.4% |
| Dodge (87,839) | 52.4% | 50.0% |
| Door (27,668) (NE) | 78.5% | 74.1% |
| Florence (4,295) (NE) | 52.4% | 49.8% |
| Fond du Lac (103,403) (SE) | 55.6% | 52.9% |
| Forest (9,004) | 52.6% | 49.7% |
| Green Lake (18,913) (FV) | 57.3% | 54.4% |
| Kewaunee (20,434) (NE) | 52.5% | 50.8% (+0.1) |
| Langlade (19,189) | 53.8% | 51.5% |
| Manitowoc (78,981) (NE) | 60.4% | 57.9% |
| Marinette (40,350) (NE) | 53.2% | 50.7% |
| Menominee (4,556) (FV) | 80.0% | 76.3% (+0.1) |
| Oconto (37,930) (NE) | 52.7% | 50.9% (+0.1) |
| Outagamie (187,885) (FV) | 64.0% | 61.1% |
| Shawano (40,899) (FV) | 47.7% | 45.8% |
| Sheboygan (115,340) (SE) | 62.7% | 59.9% |
| Waupaca (50,990) (FV) | 55.4% (+0.1) | 53.3% (+0.1) |
| Waushara (24,443) (FV) | 45.9% | 43.8% |
| Winnebago (171,907) (FV) | 62.1% (+0.1) | 58.9% |
| NORTHEAST REGION (474,200) (NE) | 297,147 (62.6%) | 283,969 (59.8%) |
| FOX VALLEY REGION (549,682) (FV) | 328,982 (59.8%) | 313,795 (57.1%, +0.1) |
| WISCONSIN (5,822,434) | 3,730,193 (64.0%, +0.1) | 3,526,013 (60.5%, +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.
FRIDAY’S COUNTY CASE AND DEATH TOTALS* (boldface indicates change in cases or deaths since the last report) **
- Brown – 69,661 cases (+19) (384 deaths)
- Calumet – 11,454 cases (+2) (92 deaths)
- Dickinson (Mich.)* - 4,976 cases (+9) (85 deaths)
- Dodge – 24,238 cases (+5) (270 deaths) (+1)
- Door – 6,550 cases (+3) (50 deaths)
- Florence - 806 cases (15 deaths)
- Fond du Lac – 29,230 cases (+7) (222 deaths) (+2)
- Forest - 2,425 cases (46 deaths)
- Gogebic (Mich.)* - 2,717 cases (+5) (39 deaths) (+1)
- Green Lake - 4,158 cases (51 deaths) (+2)
- Iron (Mich.)* – 2,297 cases (+6) (69 deaths)
- Kewaunee – 4,541 cases (cases revised -6 by state) (39 deaths) (+1)
- Langlade - 4,852 cases (62 deaths)
- Manitowoc – 17,190 cases (151 deaths)
- Marinette - 9,601 cases (97 deaths)
- Menominee (Mich.)* - 3,858 cases (+3) (60 deaths)
- Menominee – 1,834 (+1) (13 deaths)
- Oconto – 9,283 cases (+3) (86 deaths) (+2)
- Outagamie – 42,127 cases (+4) (323 deaths) (+2)
- Shawano – 9,695 cases (119 deaths)
- Sheboygan – 29,248 cases (+4) (252 deaths) (+1)
- Waupaca – 11,251 cases (+3) (192 deaths)
- Waushara – 4,956 cases (67 deaths)
- Winnebago – 43,490 cases (+9) (317 deaths) (+1)
* You can find cases and deaths for all 72 Wisconsin counties on the DHS County Data website. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Wisconsin Hospital Association publishes updates Mondays through Fridays. Michigan Department of Health updates information on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
** 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.
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