Wisconsin COVID-19 reports to focus on rolling averages
MADISON (WLUK) -- Wisconsin health officials are changing how they report COVID-19 data as the pandemic shows signs of waning.
The Department of Health Services has adjusted its summary page to focus on seven-day averages instead of daily case counts. Health officials say displaying data as rolling averages helps smooth out trends that may fluctuate day-to-day based on when data is reported.
Another change is that COVID-19 data will only be reported Monday through Friday.
"We're really making this change to align with what many of our partners are doing and the CDC is doing moving to that 5-day per week schedule," said Traci DeSalvo, the director of DHS Bureau of Communicable Diseases.
The summary dashboard will include seven-day averages of: new confirmed cases, new probable cases, percent positive by test and new deaths.
The new summary dashboard shows 282 new confirmed cases and 77 new probable cases, with seven-day averages moving to 285 and 55, respectively. Three people who were confirmed to have COVID-19 died, with the seven-day average at two.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 609,561 confirmed cases and 7,040 confirmed deaths. The number of deaths increased by 37 from Wednesday's total, DHS said, because of quality control efforts reconciling data.
As of Thursday, 47.4% of Wisconsin residents had received at least one dose of vaccine and 41.5% had completed their vaccine series.
The update comes as the state re mains in the "high" category of coronavirus activity, with a downward trajectory. DHS' weekly dashboard shows Menominee County in the "low" category, the first time since March that a county has been in that category. In our area, Door and Manitowoc counties are in the "medium" category. All other Northeast Wisconsin counties remain in the "high" category.
"I think our goals are to have low case activity in the entire state and to have 80% of people fully vaccinated," said Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer for DHS Bureau of Communicable Diseases. "When you keep these goals in mind and you look at our dashboard, you can put in perspective that we still have a good long way to go."
Hospitalizations changed little on Thursday. The Wisconsin Hospital Association reported treating 227 COVID-19 patients, up six in a day but down 42 over the course of a week. Seventy of those were in intensive care, one more than on Wednesday, but three fewer than a week earlier.
Northeast region hospitals reported 18 COVID-19 patients, down two in a day and nine over a week. Five of those were in ICUs, down one in a day and half the number being treated a week earlier. In the Fox Valley region, there were 13 COVID-19 patients, down two in a day but up tow over a week. One of those was in an ICU, the same as on Wednesday and one more than a week earlier.
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