COVID-19 Testing Jumps Over 50 Percent To New Record, Cases Rise as Positive Rate Falls
Over 3,400 tests performed in last 24 hours, 304 new positive cases.
COVID-19. Credit: U.S. Army.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported Friday afternoon that over the past 24 hours, 3,421 COVID-19 tests were processed. That’s beats the previous one-day record by more than 1,000 tests, which was 2,242 reported April 3rd.
The number of new positive COVID-19 cases hit a single-day high of 304, but it came as the number of positive test results fell to 8.89 percent. The average daily figure reported across April has been 9.81 percent.
It’s the percentage figure that the state is closely monitoring as part of the Badger Bounce Back plan. “That’s the number that we want to see gradually going down,” said Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer of the DHS Bureau of Communicable Diseases during a media briefing Thursday afternoon.
Governor Tony Evers said he wants to see the figure fall 14 consecutive days before implementing the first phases of the plan, but wouldn’t necessarily reset the clock as a result of a one-day blip. “If there is reason to believe that one day was an anomaly we will take a look at that,” he said.
Friday was the second consecutive day the percentage has fallen.
The testing surge comes after DHS officials reported the state had the capacity to process 10,937 tests, over 3,000 more than were on hand Monday. “We are encouraging providers to test anyone with symptoms,” said DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. But despite that guidance being given on at least April 10th, Friday is the first day the state has reported a surge in tests processed. Palm said DHS continues to work with private partners to increase the availability of supplies.
The death toll from the disease has grown to 262, with five new confirmed deaths confirmed in the past 24 hours. Milwaukee County has been the site of 154 deaths. Across the state, 69 percent of those that have died from the disease have been 70 years old or older.
The disease continues to be disproportionally centered around Milwaukee and its minority communities. Of the 5,356 confirmed cases in the state, 45 percent are in Milwaukee County (2,431), while the county represents only 16 percent of the state’s population. In Milwaukee County, 44 percent of the confirmed cases have been in individuals identifying as black (26 percent of county population) and 18 percent in those identifying as Hispanic or Latino (15 percent of county population). The disproportional impact gets worst for fatalities. Of the 145 county-confirmed deaths from the disease, 54 percent (79) have been in individuals that identified as black.
For more on potential issues with increasing testing capacity, see our coverage from Wednesday.
Charts and Maps
Wisconsin COVID-19 summary
| Status | Number (%) of People as of 4/24/2020 |
|---|---|
| Negative Test Results | 54,573 |
| Positive Test Results | 5,356 |
| Hospitalizations | 1,353 (25%) |
| Deaths | 262 |
Percent of COVID-19 cases and deaths by gender
| Gender | Confirmed Cases as of 4/24/2020 | Deaths as of 4/24/2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 52% | 41% |
| Male | 48% | 59% |
| Total Number | 5,356 | 262 |
Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by race
| Race | Number of cases as of 4/24/2020 | Percent of cases as of 4/24/2020 | Number of deaths as of 4/24/2020 | Percent of deaths as of 4/24/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian | 48 | 1% | 3 | 1% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 151 | 3% | 5 | 2% |
| Black | 1,296 | 24% | 87 | 33% |
| White | 2,795 | 52% | 160 | 61% |
| Multiple or Other races | 293 | 5% | 2 | 1% |
| Unknown | 773 | 14% | 5 | 2% |
| Total | 5,356 | 100% | 262 | 100% |
Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by ethnicity
| Ethnicity | Number of cases as of 4/24/2020 | Percent of cases as of 4/24/2020 | Number of deaths as of 4/24/2020 | Percent of deaths as of 4/24/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,120 | 21% | 16 | 6% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 3,454 | 64% | 239 | 91% |
| Unknown | 782 | 15% | 7 | 3% |
| Total | 5,356 | 100% | 262 | 100% |
Summary of COVID-19 cases by age group
| Age Group (Years) | Cases as of 4/24/2020 | Ever hospitalized as of 4/24/2020 | Any Intensive Care as of 4/24/2020 | Deaths as of 4/24/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <10 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 10-19 | 114 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 20-29 | 732 | 48 | 6 | 2 |
| 30-39 | 826 | 85 | 19 | 4 |
| 40-49 | 892 | 139 | 34 | 10 |
| 50-59 | 1016 | 245 | 66 | 22 |
| 60-69 | 813 | 300 | 100 | 45 |
| 70-79 | 497 | 287 | 73 | 80 |
| 80-89 | 307 | 181 | 36 | 58 |
| 90+ | 120 | 57 | 12 | 41 |
| Total | 5,356 | 1,353 | 346 | 262 |
Number of positive cases and deaths by county
| Wisconsin County | Positive as of 4/24/2020 | Negative as of 4/24/2020 | Deaths as of 4/24/2020 | Rate (positive cases per 100,000 people) as of 4/24/2020 | Case fatality percentage (percent of cases who died) as of 4/24/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | 4 | 127 | 1 | 19.9 | 25% |
| Ashland | 2 | 93 | 0 | 12.7 | 0% |
| Barron | 6 | 655 | 0 | 13.3 | 0% |
| Bayfield | 3 | 122 | 1 | 20.0 | 33% |
| Brown | 605 | 1,686 | 2 | 232.9 | 0% |
| Buffalo | 4 | 156 | 1 | 30.4 | 25% |
| Burnett | 0 | 71 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Calumet | 7 | 290 | 0 | 14.1 | 0% |
| Chippewa | 20 | 845 | 0 | 31.4 | 0% |
| Clark | 19 | 171 | 1 | 55.1 | 5% |
| Columbia | 27 | 633 | 1 | 47.4 | 4% |
| Crawford | 3 | 180 | 0 | 18.4 | 0% |
| Dane | 395 | 7,960 | 21 | 74.6 | 5% |
| Dodge | 21 | 753 | 1 | 23.9 | 5% |
| Door | 9 | 115 | 1 | 32.8 | 11% |
| Douglas | 9 | 431 | 0 | 20.7 | 0% |
| Dunn | 9 | 831 | 0 | 20.2 | 0% |
| Eau Claire | 23 | 1,641 | 0 | 22.3 | 0% |
| Florence | 2 | 18 | 0 | 46.1 | 0% |
| Fond du Lac | 67 | 1,165 | 3 | 65.5 | 4% |
| Forest | 0 | 45 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Grant | 27 | 483 | 3 | 52.1 | 11% |
| Green | 10 | 266 | 0 | 27.1 | 0% |
| Green Lake | 1 | 145 | 0 | 5.3 | 0% |
| Iowa | 7 | 217 | 0 | 29.6 | 0% |
| Iron | 2 | 37 | 1 | 35.0 | 50% |
| Jackson | 12 | 222 | 1 | 58.5 | 8% |
| Jefferson | 38 | 736 | 0 | 44.9 | 0% |
| Juneau | 11 | 275 | 1 | 41.6 | 9% |
| Kenosha | 314 | 1,633 | 7 | 186.5 | 2% |
| Kewaunee | 9 | 97 | 1 | 44.2 | 11% |
| La Crosse | 25 | 1,747 | 0 | 21.2 | 0% |
| Lafayette | 4 | 86 | 0 | 23.9 | 0% |
| Langlade | 0 | 85 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Lincoln | 0 | 157 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Manitowoc | 9 | 277 | 0 | 11.3 | 0% |
| Marathon | 17 | 564 | 1 | 12.6 | 6% |
| Marinette | 8 | 275 | 1 | 19.7 | 13% |
| Marquette | 3 | 139 | 1 | 19.7 | 33% |
| Menominee | 1 | 27 | 0 | 21.8 | 0% |
| Milwaukee | 2,431 | 11,545 | 154 | 254.8 | 6% |
| Monroe | 14 | 627 | 0 | 30.8 | 0% |
| Oconto | 5 | 224 | 0 | 13.3 | 0% |
| Oneida | 6 | 251 | 0 | 17.0 | 0% |
| Outagamie | 43 | 1,040 | 2 | 23.3 | 5% |
| Ozaukee | 80 | 762 | 9 | 90.6 | 11% |
| Pepin | 0 | 98 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Pierce | 8 | 351 | 0 | 19.2 | 0% |
| Polk | 4 | 222 | 0 | 9.2 | 0% |
| Portage | 4 | 252 | 0 | 5.7 | 0% |
| Price | 1 | 66 | 0 | 7.4 | 0% |
| Racine | 229 | 1,677 | 10 | 117.2 | 4% |
| Richland | 10 | 218 | 1 | 57.0 | 10% |
| Rock | 120 | 1,441 | 4 | 74.2 | 3% |
| Rusk | 4 | 100 | 0 | 28.2 | 0% |
| Sauk | 38 | 642 | 3 | 59.8 | 8% |
| Sawyer | 2 | 221 | 0 | 12.2 | 0% |
| Shawano | 8 | 277 | 0 | 19.5 | 0% |
| Sheboygan | 45 | 715 | 2 | 39.1 | 4% |
| St. Croix | 13 | 397 | 0 | 14.8 | 0% |
| Taylor | 0 | 80 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Trempealeau | 2 | 416 | 0 | 6.8 | 0% |
| Vernon | 1 | 323 | 0 | 3.3 | 0% |
| Vilas | 4 | 115 | 0 | 18.5 | 0% |
| Walworth | 113 | 619 | 7 | 109.7 | 6% |
| Washburn | 1 | 137 | 0 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Washington | 91 | 1,478 | 4 | 67.6 | 4% |
| Waukesha | 289 | 3,053 | 14 | 72.5 | 5% |
| Waupaca | 7 | 311 | 1 | 13.6 | 14% |
| Waushara | 2 | 118 | 0 | 8.3 | 0% |
| Winnebago | 46 | 967 | 1 | 27.1 | 2% |
| Wood | 2 | 374 | 0 | 2.7 | 0% |
| Total | 5,356 | 54,573 | 262 | 92.7 | 5% |
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