Wisconsin Sets New COVID-19 Testing Record
Percent of negative results increases, a positive sign.
COVID-19. Credit: U.S. Army.
The Department of Health Services reported a new record high Tuesday in COVID-19 tests processed in a 24-hour window.
A total of 3,830 tests were processed in the past day, exceeding the previous high of 3,421 reported April 24th. DHS reports an average of 3,244 tests processed per day over the past week, up from an average of 1,917 in April.
The percentage of those tested coming back positive also dropped as the number of tests went up. DHS reported a positive rate of 8.62 percent over the past 24 hours, below the 14-day average of 9.85 percentage and April average of 9.57 percent.
The positive test rate is a key figure the state is monitoring as part of the Badger Bounce Back plan. “The trend is the important thing,” said Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer of the DHS Bureau of Communicable Diseases, during a briefing Wednesday. “We want to see a sustained move in the right direction. We have been a little flat going between nine and 11 percent.”
There were 330 new cases in the past 24 hours, pushing the total over the length of the outbreak to 8,566. DHS reports that 4,131 of the individuals are confirmed to have recovered having been diagnosed more than 30 days ago or having documentation of resolved symptoms.
DHS reports a daily processing capacity of 11,347 COVID-19 tests at 51 labs.
The death toll from the virus has reached 353, with 13 newly-confirmed deaths in the past 24 hours. DHS reports that 201 of the deaths have occurred in Milwaukee County. The county’s residents represent 3,353 of the 8,566 confirmed cases according to state data.
On a per capita basis, Brown County has far more cases and the gap between the two continues to grow.
Brown County, which is anchored by Green Bay, now has 594.7 cases per 100,000 residents (up from 557.4 yesterday). Milwaukee County has 351.4 cases per 100,000 residents (up from 345.4). On April 16th, Brown County had only 53.5 cases per 100,000 residents while Milwaukee had 204. Brown County now has nine confirmed deaths and 1,545 confirmed cases.
Kenosha County has the third-highest rate at 339.2 cases per 100,000 residents. Racine (273.8), Walworth (205.8), Rock (186.1), Kewaunee (108.1) Ozaukee (107.6), Grant (106.1) and Sauk (105.4) are the only other counties with more than 100 cases per 100,000 residents. The statewide average has risen to 148.2 (up from 142.5).
There are currently 965 ventilators and 433 intensive care unit beds available across the state according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Since the data became publicly available on April 10th, WHA has reported an average of 926 ventilators and 445 intensive care unit beds as available.
Charts and Maps
Wisconsin COVID-19 summary
| Status | Number (%) of People as of 5/5/2020 |
|---|---|
| Negative Test Results | 83,967 |
| Positive Test Results | 8,566 |
| Hospitalizations | 1,663 (19%) |
| Deaths | 353 |
Percent of COVID-19 cases by hospitalization status
| Hospitilization status | Number of confirmed cases as of 5/5/2020 | Percent of confirmed cases as of 5/5/2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Ever hospitalized | 1,663 | 19% |
| Never hospitalized | 4,974 | 58% |
| Unknown | 1,929 | 23% |
| Total | 8,566 | 100% |
Summary of COVID-19 cases by age group
| Age Group (Years) | Cases as of 5/5/2020 | Ever hospitalized as of 5/5/2020 | Any Intensive Care as of 5/5/2020 | Deaths as of 5/5/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <10 | 104 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 10-19 | 303 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 20-29 | 1322 | 71 | 11 | 4 |
| 30-39 | 1423 | 110 | 20 | 4 |
| 40-49 | 1488 | 178 | 43 | 11 |
| 50-59 | 1538 | 286 | 78 | 32 |
| 60-69 | 1136 | 369 | 116 | 55 |
| 70-79 | 656 | 330 | 85 | 103 |
| 80-89 | 412 | 220 | 45 | 85 |
| 90+ | 184 | 77 | 15 | 59 |
| Total | 8,566 | 1,663 | 414 | 353 |
Percent of COVID-19 cases and deaths by gender
| Gender | Confirmed Cases as of 5/5/2020 | Deaths as of 5/5/2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 50% | 41% |
| Male | 50% | 59% |
| Total Number | 8,553 | 353 |
Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by race
| Race | Number of cases as of 5/5/2020 | Percent of cases as of 5/5/2020 | Number of deaths as of 5/5/2020 | Percent of deaths as of 5/5/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian | 88 | 1% | 4 | 1% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 294 | 3% | 6 | 2% |
| Black | 1,855 | 22% | 108 | 31% |
| White | 4,557 | 53% | 227 | 64% |
| Multiple or Other races | 833 | 10% | 3 | 1% |
| Unknown | 939 | 11% | 5 | 1% |
| Total | 8,566 | 100% | 353 | 100% |
Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by ethnicity
| Ethnicity | Number of cases as of 5/5/2020 | Percent of cases as of 5/5/2020 | Number of deaths as of 5/5/2020 | Percent of deaths as of 5/5/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,391 | 28% | 30 | 8% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 5,129 | 60% | 314 | 89% |
| Unknown | 1,046 | 12% | 9 | 3% |
| Total | 8,566 | 100% | 353 | 100% |
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- Milwaukee County Announces New Policies Related to COVID-19 Pandemic - County Executive David Crowley - May 9th, 2023
- DHS Details End of Emergency COVID-19 Response - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Apr 26th, 2023
- Milwaukee Health Department Announces Upcoming Changes to COVID-19 Services - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Mar 17th, 2023
- Fitzgerald Applauds Passage of COVID-19 Origin Act - U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald - Mar 10th, 2023
- DHS Expands Free COVID-19 Testing Program - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Feb 10th, 2023
- MKE County: COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rising - Graham Kilmer - Jan 16th, 2023
- Not Enough Getting Bivalent Booster Shots, State Health Officials Warn - Gaby Vinick - Dec 26th, 2022
- Nearly All Wisconsinites Age 6 Months and Older Now Eligible for Updated COVID-19 Vaccine - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Dec 15th, 2022
- City of Milwaukee Bi-Weekly COVID-19 Update - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Dec 9th, 2022
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