Why Do COVID-19 Hospitalizations Continue To Drop?

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported 256 newly-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state on Wednesday afternoon.

In its 2 p.m. data release, DHS reported a total of 9,662 tests were processed in the past 24 hours, below the 30-day average of 9,864.

The new cases represent a 2.65 percent positive test rate, below the seven-day and 14-day averages of 2.72 percent and 2.74 percent. Officials have looked for those measures to trend downward as testing expands as evidence of sufficient testing and a slowing spread of the disease.

The number of people hospitalized fell from 275 to 247 even as 32 people were reported to be newly hospitalized with the disease. The total is the lowest total in over 75 days. Hospitals across the state have cumulatively averaged 35 newly hospitalized patients over the past 30 days.

Why is the number of people actively hospitalized falling if the number of people newly hospitalized is staying relatively flat?

Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer of the DHS Bureau of Communicable Diseases, believes the age of the people with new COVID-19 cases is a factor. “It is now well-understood that the risk of serious illness requiring hospitalization is lower for younger adults,” said Westergaard via email. A growing proportion of new cases are in individuals under the age of 40.

The rate of new hospitalizations has also slowed slightly after peaking two weeks ago. Over the past 14 days, the state has averaged 31 new admissions. The 14 days prior to that had an average of 39, while the 30 days before that had an average of 31.

The death toll from the disease climbed to 712 on Wednesday, with nine newly-confirmed deaths in the past 24 hours. DHS has reported an average of 8.43 deaths per day over the past month.

In total 23,454 Wisconsin residents have tested positive for the disease. DHS reports that 75 percent of individuals with a confirmed case have recovered, as defined by a documented abatement of symptoms or a diagnosis over 30 days ago.

Racine County has 1043.5 cases per 100,000 residents (up from 1040.4). Milwaukee County has 1,021.8 cases per 100,000 residents (up from 1,012.1). Brown County, which is anchored by Green Bay, has 965 cases per 100,000 residents (up from 959.3).

Kenosha (821), Dodge (484.2), Rock (474.1), Walworth (466.9), Forest (377), Winnebago (324.3), Trempealeau (271.8), Fond du Lac (267.8) and Lafayette (256.9) are the only other counties with more than 250 cases per 100,000 residents.

The statewide average of cases per 100,000 residents rose to 405.9 (up from 396.9).

There are currently 940 ventilators and 349 intensive care unit (ICU) 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 939 ventilators and 407 ICU beds as available.

Charts and Maps

Wisconsin COVID-19 summary by person

Percent of COVID-19 cases by hospitalization status

Hospitalization status	Number of confirmed cases as of 6/17/2020	Percent of confirmed cases as of 6/17/2020
Ever hospitalized	3,128	13%
Never hospitalized	13,642	58%
Unknown	6,684	28%
Total	23,454	100%

Summary of COVID-19 cases by age group

Age Group (Years)	Cases as of 6/17/2020	Ever hospitalized as of 6/17/2020	Any Intensive Care as of 6/17/2020	Deaths as of 6/17/2020
<10	723	21	2	0
10-19	1,713	46	3	0
20-29	4,550	162	22	6
30-39	4,264	243	36	8
40-49	3,793	373	83	22
50-59	3,447	534	125	57
60-69	2,425	661	195	119
70-79	1,282	556	137	188
80-89	835	383	66	173
90+	422	149	27	139
Total	23,454	3,128	696	712

Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by gender

Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by race

Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by ethnicity

Number of positive cases and deaths by county

Wisconsin County	Positive as of 6/17/2020	Negative as of 6/17/2020	Deaths as of 6/17/2020	Rate (positive cases per 100,000 people) as of 6/17/2020	Case fatality percentage (percent of cases who died) as of 6/17/2020
Adams	9	1,181	2	44.8	22%
Ashland	3	631	0	19.1	0%
Barron	26	3,133	0	57.5	0%
Bayfield	3	809	1	20.0	33%
Brown	2,507	26,894	39	965.0	2%
Buffalo	7	860	2	53.2	29%
Burnett	2	690	1	13.1	50%
Calumet	88	2,735	2	176.7	2%
Chippewa	63	3,944	0	99.0	0%
Clark	53	1,719	4	153.7	8%
Columbia	59	3,901	1	103.6	2%
Crawford	27	1,522	0	165.8	0%
Dane	1,000	48,708	31	188.7	3%
Dodge	425	8,162	5	484.2	1%
Door	39	2,284	3	142.1	8%
Douglas	20	1,863	0	46.1	0%
Dunn	29	2,953	0	65.2	0%
Eau Claire	140	6,603	0	135.9	0%
Florence	2	282	0	46.1	0%
Fond du Lac	274	7,875	6	267.8	2%
Forest	34	433	2	377.0	6%
Grant	113	3,701	12	218.0	11%
Green	78	2,266	1	211.6	1%
Green Lake	24	1,452	0	128.0	0%
Iowa	18	1,734	0	76.2	0%
Iron	2	311	1	35.0	50%
Jackson	22	1,888	1	107.3	5%
Jefferson	161	5,014	4	190.2	2%
Juneau	25	2,113	1	94.6	4%
Kenosha	1,382	13,502	36	821.0	3%
Kewaunee	39	1,157	1	191.6	3%
La Crosse	152	8,344	0	129.0	0%
Lafayette	43	966	0	256.9	0%
Langlade	6	1,100	0	31.3	0%
Lincoln	8	1,316	0	28.7	0%
Manitowoc	50	4,710	1	63.0	2%
Marathon	88	5,176	1	65.1	1%
Marinette	40	3,705	3	98.7	8%
Marquette	9	889	1	59.2	11%
Menominee	4	965	0	87.4	0%
Milwaukee	9,750	86,286	356	1021.8	4%
Monroe	38	3,737	1	83.5	3%
Oconto	45	2,691	0	119.8	0%
Oneida	17	1,872	0	48.1	0%
Outagamie	354	12,412	8	191.6	2%
Ozaukee	199	4,907	15	225.4	8%
Pepin	1	478	0	13.8	0%
Pierce	57	2,140	0	137.0	0%
Polk	37	2,830	1	85.4	3%
Portage	82	3,909	0	116.1	0%
Price	2	775	0	14.8	0%
Racine	2,039	19,380	56	1043.5	3%
Richland	14	1,266	4	79.8	29%
Rock	767	12,985	22	474.1	3%
Rusk	10	572	0	70.5	0%
Sauk	87	5,334	3	136.8	3%
Sawyer	9	1,597	0	55.0	0%
Shawano	64	2,957	0	156.1	0%
Sheboygan	171	6,089	4	148.4	2%
St. Croix	116	4,658	0	131.9	0%
Taylor	5	791	0	24.6	0%
Trempealeau	80	2,773	0	271.8	0%
Vernon	26	1,957	0	85.2	0%
Vilas	8	894	0	37.0	0%
Walworth	481	6,850	17	466.9	4%
Washburn	3	967	0	19.1	0%
Washington	299	6,945	12	222.2	4%
Waukesha	942	15,639	35	236.2	4%
Waupaca	82	4,009	5	159.4	6%
Waushara	19	2,016	0	78.8	0%
Winnebago	551	13,096	10	324.3	2%
Wood	25	3,433	1	34.1	4%
Total	23,454	423,736	712	405.9	3%