Only 1 Wisconsin county left with 'critically high' COVID-19 spread
MADISON (WLUK) -- As COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin continue to decline following the omicron variant surge, only one county is left in the "critically high" level of virus spread.
The state Department of Health Services' weekly update showed only Douglas County in far northwestern Wisconsin in the "critically high" category. The state's 71 other counties fell to the "very high" category.
No county had a growing trajectory of cases, with 13 counties seeing no significant change and 58 seeing a shrinking trajectory.
Meanwhile, DHS reported 1,586 new confirmed cases on Wednesday. The seven-day average fell to 1,493, its lowest level since Sept. 12.
Test positivity for the most recent seven-day period averaged 8.4%, its lowest level since Halloween.
Deaths ticked up, however, to a seven-day average of 14. DHS reported 30 deaths on Wednesday.
Overall, Wisconsin has seen 1,373,278 total confirmed cases and 11,701 confirmed deaths.
As of Thursday, 63.8% of the state's population had received at least one dose of vaccine, with 60.1% having completed the vaccine series.
Hospitalizations continued their declines as well.
The Wisconsin Hospital Association reported treating 770 COVID-19 patients Thursday, 44 fewer than on Wednesday and 350 fewer than a week earlier. Of those, 158 were in intensive care, down three in a day and 70 over a week.
Northeast region hospitals had 96 COVID-19 patients, down two in a day and 50 over a week. Of those, 22 were in ICUs, up one in a day but down eight over a week. In the Fox Valley region, there were 51 COVID-19 patients, five more than on Wednesday but 34 fewer than a week earlier. Seven of those were in ICUs, down three in a day and nine over a week.