Wisconsin Behind on COVID-19 Testing
How state compares to other in testing, rate of positive cases and rate of hospitalization.

The Wisconsin National Guard and Milwaukee Health Department staff a COVID-19 testing site at Midtown Center. File photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Across the nation states are struggling the increase the number of COVID-19 tests being conducted and handle the recent surge in cases, a New York Times ranking of the states has found. “The number of daily coronavirus tests being conducted in the United States is only 35 percent of the level considered necessary to mitigate the spread of the virus,” the analysis found.
“An average of 696,000 people per day were tested over the past week, according to data collected by the Covid Tracking Project, far below the current nationwide target of 2 million daily tests. The target, which is based on a methodology developed by researchers at the Harvard Global Health Institute, is different for each state and varies over time as infection rates change.”
Arizona also has the nation’s highest positive case percentage — 27 percent — which makes sense since it is doing so little testing. Nationally the average is 9 percent, which is very high (the recommended level is 5 percent) and reflects the low amount of testing across the country.
Here, too, Wisconsin ranks better than the national average, with a positive case percentage of 7, but this was once again behind 28 other states, including five states (New York, New Jersey, Maine, Connecticut, Vermont) which had lowered their positive case percentage to just 1 percent.
Nationally the rate of hospitalizations per 100,000 cases tested was 15 percent. Here Wisconsin ranked considerably better, at 5 percent, and behind only 15 states. Wisconsin is far ahead of states like Arizona (47 percent!), Texas and Florida (both at 34 percent).
All told, the results suggest that Wisconsin and the nation must increase the amount of testing being done if they are to make any headway against the current spike in COVID-19 cases.
“The Harvard researchers say that at minimum there should be enough daily capacity to test anyone who has flu-like symptoms and an additional 10 people for any symptomatic person who tests positive for the virus. That level of testing…would require more than double the number of daily tests currently being performed.” The lack of testing, the story warns, “can leave sick people undiagnosed, with the potential to further spread the virus as states reopen.”
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More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
- DHS Updates COVID-19 Illness After Vaccination Page to Include Data by Booster Dose Status - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - May 26th, 2022
- WI Health Department Urges Booster Shots for Ages 5 to 11 - Erik Gunn - May 24th, 2022
- DHS Recommends COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses to Everyone 5 and Older - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - May 23rd, 2022
- MKE County: COVID-19 Cases Rising Again - Graham Kilmer - May 20th, 2022
- City of Milwaukee Weekly COVID-19 Update - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - May 20th, 2022
- City of Milwaukee Mask Advisory - City of Milwaukee Health Department - May 20th, 2022
- State’s COVID-19 Cases Up 66% in May - Erik Gunn - May 17th, 2022
- City of Milwaukee Weekly COVID-19 Update - City of Milwaukee Health Department - May 13th, 2022
- DHS Announces the Moving Forward Together Grant Program to Support Health Equity Efforts in COVID-19 Vaccinations - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - May 12th, 2022
- City of Milwaukee Weekly COVID-19 Update - City of Milwaukee Health Department - May 6th, 2022
Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic here
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