Wisconsin’s coronavirus case average continues to decline, more than 700 new cases reported Saturday

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – Wisconsin health officials reported a second straight day of more than 700 new coronavirus cases Saturday, identifying an additional 727 people who are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.

According to the Department of Health Services (DHS), the new cases are out of 4,738 results from people testing positive or being tested for the first time, or 16.22% of those results. The 7-day average for the positivity rate, which includes those who have had more than one test done, held steady from Friday at 3.6%.

Wisconsin has now seen a cumulative total of 589,940 confirmed coronavirus cases and is on pace to reach a milestone 600,000 confirmed cases in the next two weeks if the spread of the disease doesn’t slow.

The state is averaging 743 new cases per day for the past week. After increasing to 823 on April 14, it has declined daily. Active cases — people diagnosed in the past 30 days who aren’t medically cleared – continue to make up 1.6% of all cases dating back 14 months.

The number of hospitalizations in the past 24 hours is above average, with 61 patients admitted for COVID-19. The 7-day average held steady at 58 admissions per day.

In addition, the state reported eight new deaths attributed to COVID-19, bringing Wisconsin’s death toll to 6,711, or 1.14% of all cases. The state’s seven day death average is five deaths per day.

VACCINATIONS

The DHS did not provide an update on vaccine numbers Friday. The following data was posted Saturday morning.

The state says 27% of the population is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which equals 1,569,321 people. Since Thursday, Wisconsin health officials say another 114,572 people have received a shot in the arm.

Meanwhile, the DHS says 39.7% of the population has received at least one dose of a vaccine, including 79.4% of those who are 65 and older.

A total of 3,807,771 shots in the arm have been administered, according to the state. Those shots include vaccinations for both residents and non-residents.

Vaccinations by percentage of age group, as of Saturday:

• 16-17: 17.7% have received a dose/3.1% completed
• 18-24: 27.5% have received a dose/13.8% completed
• 25-34: 34.5% have received a dose/19.9% completed
• 35-44: 42.2% have received a dose/25.0% completed
• 45-54: 44.4% have received a dose/25.8% completed
• 55-64: 55.1% have received a dose/30.6% completed
• 65+: 79.4% have received a dose/71.5% completed

SATURDAY’S COUNTY VACCINATION UPDATES

County (Population)	Received at least 1 dose (% of pop.)	Completed (% of pop.)
Brown (264,542) (NE)	105,390 (39.8%)	74,635 (28.2%)
Calumet (50,089) (FV)	17,879 (35.7%)	12,616 (25.2%)
Dodge (87,839)	27,908 (31.8%)	19,690 (22.4%)
Door (27,668) (NE)	15,691 (56.7%)	10,756 (38.9%)
Fond du Lac (103,403) (FV)	35,948 (34.8%)	26,613 (25.7%)
Forest (9,004)	3,259 (36.2%)	2,600 (28.9%)
Florence (4,295) (NE)	1,618 (37.7%)	1,358 (31.6%)
Green Lake (18,913) (FV)	6,756 (35.7%)	5,403 (28.6%)
Kewaunee (20,434) (NE)	7,055 (34.5%)	5,191 (25.4%)
Manitowoc (78,981) (NE)	30,834 (39.0%)	22,198 (28.1%)
Marinette (40,350) (NE)	13,783 (34.2%)	9,716 (24.1%)
Menominee (4,556) (FV)	1,964 (43.1%)	1,731 (38.0%)
Oconto (37,930) (NE)	13,140 (34.6%)	10.,294 (27.1%)
Outagamie (187,885) (FV)	71,372 (38.0%)	48,978 (26.1%)
Shawano (40,899) (FV)	12,084 (29.5%)	9,585 (23.4%)
Sheboygan (115,340)	44,259 (38.6%)	29,595 (25.7%)
Waupaca (50,990) (FV)	17,008 (33.4%)	13,170 (25.8%)
Waushara (24,443) (FV)	7,023 (28.7%)	5,712 (23.4%)
Winnebago (171,907) (FV)	63,990 (37.2%)	46,046 (26.8%)
NORTHEAST REGION (NE)	187,511 (39.5%)	134,148 (28.3%)
FOX VALLEY REGION (FV)	198,076 (36.0%)	143,241 (26.1%)
WISCONSIN (5,822,434)	2,311,057 (39.7%)	1,569,321 (27.0%)

CLICK HERE to track vaccine data in Wisconsin

CLICK HERE for the First Alert Vaccine Team’s guide to vaccine clinics and vaccinators, including phone numbers and websites to make appointments and information on free rides to appointments.

Since February 5, 2020, the DHS reports 3,377,182 people in Wisconsin were tested at least once for the coronavirus. Out of these:

• 588,504 tested positive for the COVID-19 virus
• 28,462 were hospitalized (4.8%)
• 6,703 died (1.14%)
• 572,354 are considered recovered (97.4%)
• 9,208 are still active cases (1.6%)

Since February 5, 2020, the DHS reports 3,386,403 people in Wisconsin were tested at least once for the coronavirus. Out of these:

• 589,940 tested positive for the COVID-19 virus
• 28,523 were hospitalized (4.8%)
• 6,711 died (1.14%)
• 573,838 are considered recovered (97.3%)
• 9,147 are still active cases (1.6%)

HOSPITAL READINESS

The Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reports there are 326 patients in 136 hospitals across the state, an increase of 17 from Friday. In addition, there are 82 patients in the ICU, a decrease of four during the past 24 hours.

Fox Valley hospitals report they are treating 20 COVID-19 patients, with 4 in ICU. That’s one more overall patient and one new ICU patient than Friday.

10 hospitals in the Northeast region are treating 32 COVID-19 patients, including 5 in ICU. That’s 2 fewer in ICU and one fewer patient overall since Friday.

For hospital readiness, the WHA reports 259 ICU beds were available in the state’s hospitals (17.66% of the state’s supply). A total 2,004 of all hospital beds are available — ICU, intermediate care, medical surgical and negative-flow isolation (17.9%).

The Fox Valley region’s 13 hospitals have 6 ICU beds available among them (5.7%), and 265 total open beds total (10.2%).

The 10 hospitals in the Northeast region had 41 ICU beds (19.8%) and 249 of all bed types (27.72%) open.

These beds are for all patients, not just COVID-19. We use terms like “open” or “available,” but a hospital can only put a patient in a bed if it has the staff to care for them, including doctors, nurses and food services.

VARIANTS SPREADING

Wisconsin health officials performed genetic testing on about 400 more samples in the past week to find variants of the original SARS-CoV-2. To date, out of 9,740 samples tested, 584 were one of the variants. Statewide, the DHS is finding slightly more cases of the UK variant (299 samples), followed by the California variant (259 samples).

The California variant (scientifically known as B.1.427/B.1.429) was found in 5.3% of samples in the Northeast health care region but only 1.0% of samples in the Fox Valley region. The UK variant (B.1.1.7) makes up 3.8% of samples in the Northeast region and 2.7% of samples in the Fox Valley.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, both of these variants are more contagious than the original coronavirus, spreading quicker and more easily. Studies are still being done to confirm the UK variant is linked to a higher death rate. The California variant may be more resistant to some treatments.

State health officials say the way to stop these variants from spreading is the same as we’ve been told for over a year: Wear a mask (it must be worn over the nose and mouth), maintain social distancing from people who aren’t from your household, and wash your hands more frequently or use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t readily available.

SATURDAY’S COUNTY CASE AND DEATH TOTALS (counties with new cases or deaths are indicated in bold) *

Wisconsin

• Adams – 1,684 cases (+7) (10 deaths)
• Ashland – 1,223 cases (+2) (16 deaths)
• Barron – 5,637 cases (+2) (76 deaths)
• Bayfield – 1,118 cases (+1) (19 deaths)
• Brown – 31,092 cases (+23) (234 deaths)
• Buffalo – 1,336 cases (7 deaths)
• Burnett – 1,302 cases (+6) (21 deaths)
• Calumet – 5,710 (+9) (46 deaths)
• Chippewa – 7,263 cases (+4) (94 deaths)
• Clark – 3,199 cases (+2) (58 deaths)
• Columbia – 5,285 cases (+6) (57 deaths)
• Crawford – 1,698 cases (+2) (17 deaths)
• Dane – 43,441 (+52) (292 deaths) (+2)
• Dodge – 11,671 cases (+8) (162 deaths)
• Door – 2,568 cases (+1) (22 deaths)
• Douglas – 3,905 cases (+13) (32 deaths)
• Dunn – 4,533 cases (+3) (32 deaths)
• Eau Claire – 11,383 cases (+10) (106 deaths)
• Florence – 441 cases (12 deaths)
• Fond du Lac – 12,213 cases (+6) (105 deaths)
• Forest – 945 cases (+1) (23 deaths)
• Grant – 4,838 cases (+8) (85 deaths)
• Green – 3,433 cases (+2) (17 deaths)
• Green Lake – 1,557 cases (+1) (19 deaths)
• Iowa – 1,984 cases (+2) (10 deaths)
• Iron – 571 cases (21 deaths)
• Jackson – 2,600 cases (26 deaths)
• Jefferson – 8,219 cases (+4) (108 deaths)
• Juneau – 3,064 cases (+2) (21 deaths)
• Kenosha – 15,260 cases (+22) (305 deaths)
• Kewaunee – 2,320 cases (+1) (25 deaths)
• La Crosse – 12,547 cases (+8) (80 deaths)
• Lafayette – 1,540 cases (+2) (7 deaths)
• Langlade – 1,969 cases (+5) (32 deaths)
• Lincoln – 3,020 cases (+5) (60 deaths)
• Manitowoc – 7,423 cases (+4) (69 deaths)
• Marathon – 14,261 cases (+22) (184 deaths)
• Marinette – 4,048 cases (+2) (65 deaths)
• Marquette – 1,357 cases (+1) (22 deaths)
• Menominee – 792 cases (11 deaths)
• Milwaukee – 103,253 (+173) (1,277 deaths) (+2)
• Monroe – 4,437 cases (+7) (37 deaths)
• Oconto – 4,360 case (+5) (50 deaths) (+1)
• Oneida – 3,569 case (+10) (68 deaths)
• Outagamie – 20,315 cases (+18) (201 deaths)
• Ozaukee – 8,035 cases (+10) (83 deaths)
• Pepin – 828 cases (+1) (7 deaths)
• Pierce – 3,755 cases (+12) (36 deaths) (+1)
• Polk – 4,212 cases (+18) (43 deaths)
• Portage – 6,633 cases (+8) (67 deaths)
• Price – 1,208 cases (+1) (7 deaths)
• Racine – 21,102 cases (+22) (337 deaths)
• Richland – 1,288 cases (15 deaths)
• Rock – 15,288 cases (+30) (167 deaths)
• Rusk – 1,279 cases (+4) (16 deaths)
• Sauk – 5,648 cases (46 deaths)
• Sawyer – 1,598 cases (+1) (25 deaths) (+1)
• Shawano – 4,664 cases (+1) (69 deaths)
• Sheboygan – 13,543 cases (+23) (135 deaths) (+1)
• St. Croix – 7,275 cases (+24) (50 deaths)
• Taylor – 1,848 cases (+4) (24 deaths)
• Trempealeau – 3,496 cases (+6) (39 deaths)
• Vernon – 1,891 cases (State revised, decrease of 3) (39 deaths)
• Vilas – 2,222 cases (+1) (39 deaths)
• Walworth – 9,282 cases (+15) (136 deaths)
• Washburn – 1,405 cases (+4) (18 deaths)
• Washington – 14,358 cases (+11) (144 deaths) (+1)
• Waukesha – 43,031 cases (+53) 512 deaths
• Waupaca – 4,842 cases (+5) (117 deaths)
• Waushara – 2,136 cases (32 deaths)
• Winnebago – 17,831 cases (+14) (190 deaths)
• Wood – 6,858 cases (77 deaths)

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula **

• Alger – 299 cases (1 death)
• Baraga – 532 cases (33 deaths)
• Chippewa – 967 cases (27 deaths)
• Delta – 3,019 cases (67 deaths)
• Dickinson – 2,302 cases (56 deaths)
• Gogebic – 992 cases (22 deaths)
• Houghton – 2,393 cases (32 deaths)
• Iron – 904 cases (42 deaths)
• Keweenaw – 135 cases (1 death)
• Luce – 159 cases
• Mackinac – 362 cases (3 deaths)
• Marquette – 3,913 cases (56 deaths)
• Menominee – 1,697 cases (39 deaths)
• Ontonagon – 388 cases (20 deaths)
• Schoolcraft – 275 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 state of Michigan does not update numbers on Sundays. Monday’s numbers include updates since Saturday’s reporting deadline.

CDC GUIDANCE ON GATHERINGS

The Centers for Disease Control have announced that fully vaccinated Americans can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing.

The CDC’s recommendations also say vaccinated people can come together in the same way – in a single household — with people considered at low-risk for severe disease, such as in the case of vaccinated grandparents visiting healthy children and grandchildren.

The CDC is continuing to recommend that fully vaccinated people still wear well-fitted masks, avoid large gatherings, and physically distance themselves from others when out in public. The CDC also advised vaccinated people to get tested if they develop symptoms that could be related to COVID-19.

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