Active Hospitalizations Cross 500 For First Time
Cases hit an all-time high in early September, now hospitalizations are catching up.
COVID-19. Credit: U.S. Army.
The number of people actively hospitalized with a confirmed case of COVID-19 has climbed steadily in September. As of Wednesday afternoon, it crossed 500 for the first time.
A total of 509 Wisconsin residents are actively hospitalized with a confirmed case of the disease according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association COVID-19 dashboard. The figure is up 35 from Tuesday and 139 from a week ago. The Department of Health Services reports that 56 people were newly hospitalized in the past 24 hours, bringing the outbreak total to 6,821.
The hospitalizations, a lagging indicator of the disease’s spread, come as the state is reporting record numbers of new cases.
The Department of Health Services reported that 1,762 people tested positive in the past 24 hours.
The new cases come from 13,453 processed tests. The number of tests processed in the past seven days has climbed to 78,090, the highest total since August 13th. A high of 99,920 was recorded for the week ending August 6th.
The seven- and 14-day positive case rates now stand at 16.93 and 15.63 percent, the former of which is at an all time high and the latter of which moved upward after falling for the first time in 21 days. The figure is a measure of the percentage of tests that indicate a new case of the disease. The 14-day figure hit a low of 2.69 percent on June 19th.
Officials have looked for the positive case rate to trend downward to indicate a slowing spread of disease and sufficient testing. Multiple public health benchmarks call for the positive case figure to be sustained under five percent.
Eight deaths were reported by DHS, bringing the statewide total to 1,259. There have been 525 deaths recorded in Milwaukee County. An average of 5.93 deaths per day have been reported across the state over the past 30 days.
Brown County has recorded 3,085.3 cases per 100,000 residents (up from 2,958.9). According to DHS data, 2,896.4 out of every 100,000 Milwaukee County residents have tested positive for COVID-19 (up from 2,881.1) since the outbreak began.
Forest (2,515.8), Walworth (2,439.2), La Crosse (2,353.5), Racine (2,348.8), Iron (2,344.3), Kewaunee (2,073.2) and Outgamie (2,063.7) are the only other counties with more than 2,000 cases per 100,000 residents.
The statewide average of cases per 100,000 residents rose to 1,832.4 (up from 1,801.9). Wisconsin has recorded a per-capita rate of 269.6 per 100,000 in the past two weeks according to the DHS activity level report released Wednesday.
A total of 105,932 residents have tested positive for the disease.
Charts and Maps
Data from DHS.
Percent of COVID-19 cases by hospitalization status
| Hospitalization status | Number of confirmed cases as of 9/23/2020 | Percent of confirmed cases as of 9/23/2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Ever hospitalized | 6,821 | 6% |
| Never hospitalized | 60,596 | 57% |
| Unknown | 38,515 | 36% |
| Total | 105,932 | 100% |
Percent of COVID-19 cases resulting in hospitalization within age group
Data from DHS.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by gender
Data from DHS.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by race
Data from DHS.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by ethnicity
Data from DHS.
Number of positive cases and deaths by county
| Number of confirmed cases | Number of negatives* | Number of probable cases | Number of deaths** | Cases per 100,000 people (counties) | Case fatality percentage*** | ||
| Adams | 9/23/2020 | 214 | 3,762 | 13 | 4 | 1,044.20 | 1.90% |
| Ashland | 9/23/2020 | 74 | 2,456 | 7 | 2 | 466.5 | 2.70% |
| Barron | 9/23/2020 | 425 | 8,564 | 21 | 4 | 926.3 | 0.90% |
| Bayfield | 9/23/2020 | 89 | 2,854 | 8 | 1 | 585.4 | 1.10% |
| Brown | 9/23/2020 | 8,032 | 66,295 | 176 | 61 | 3,085.30 | 0.80% |
| Buffalo | 9/23/2020 | 128 | 2,410 | 4 | 2 | 947.5 | 1.60% |
| Burnett | 9/23/2020 | 155 | 2,595 | 6 | 3 | 1,003.40 | 1.90% |
| Calumet | 9/23/2020 | 942 | 9,440 | 40 | 2 | 1,830.00 | 0.20% |
| Chippewa | 9/23/2020 | 489 | 14,088 | 26 | 0 | 761.4 | 0.00% |
| Clark | 9/23/2020 | 347 | 5,291 | 31 | 8 | 998.8 | 2.30% |
| Columbia | 9/23/2020 | 549 | 14,306 | 48 | 2 | 961 | 0.40% |
| Crawford | 9/23/2020 | 147 | 4,291 | 4 | 0 | 887.9 | 0.00% |
| Dane | 9/23/2020 | 9,040 | 191,786 | 468 | 41 | 1,710.50 | 0.50% |
| Dodge | 9/23/2020 | 1,677 | 22,075 | 24 | 14 | 1,879.90 | 0.80% |
| Door | 9/23/2020 | 264 | 6,410 | 19 | 3 | 941.1 | 1.10% |
| Douglas | 9/23/2020 | 397 | 7,389 | 4 | 0 | 904.9 | 0.00% |
| Dunn | 9/23/2020 | 426 | 8,043 | 22 | 0 | 951.4 | 0.00% |
| Eau Claire | 9/23/2020 | 1,703 | 21,300 | 21 | 6 | 1,655.10 | 0.40% |
| Florence | 9/23/2020 | 73 | 831 | 0 | 1 | 1,651.20 | 1.40% |
| Fond du Lac | 9/23/2020 | 1,840 | 22,429 | 49 | 13 | 1,780.00 | 0.70% |
| Forest | 9/23/2020 | 231 | 1,533 | 3 | 4 | 2,515.80 | 1.70% |
| Grant | 9/23/2020 | 873 | 13,050 | 42 | 19 | 1,666.90 | 2.20% |
| Green | 9/23/2020 | 458 | 7,680 | 20 | 2 | 1,242.40 | 0.40% |
| Green Lake | 9/23/2020 | 215 | 3,605 | 37 | 0 | 1,126.40 | 0.00% |
| Iowa | 9/23/2020 | 169 | 5,269 | 24 | 0 | 710.1 | 0.00% |
| Iron | 9/23/2020 | 137 | 1,468 | 7 | 1 | 2,344.30 | 0.70% |
| Jackson | 9/23/2020 | 115 | 6,288 | 4 | 1 | 557.1 | 0.90% |
| Jefferson | 9/23/2020 | 1,278 | 18,470 | 73 | 8 | 1,509.30 | 0.60% |
| Juneau | 9/23/2020 | 337 | 8,142 | 4 | 2 | 1,252.40 | 0.60% |
| Kenosha | 9/23/2020 | 3,334 | 36,825 | 389 | 65 | 1,981.80 | 1.90% |
| Kewaunee | 9/23/2020 | 428 | 3,618 | 5 | 2 | 2,073.20 | 0.50% |
| La Crosse | 9/23/2020 | 2,785 | 24,410 | 157 | 2 | 2,353.50 | 0.10% |
| Lafayette | 9/23/2020 | 239 | 3,322 | 6 | 0 | 1,415.60 | 0.00% |
| Langlade | 9/23/2020 | 142 | 3,243 | 1 | 2 | 718 | 1.40% |
| Lincoln | 9/23/2020 | 169 | 4,649 | 12 | 1 | 594.2 | 0.60% |
| Manitowoc | 9/23/2020 | 918 | 14,146 | 67 | 3 | 1,143.90 | 0.30% |
| Marathon | 9/23/2020 | 1,151 | 20,180 | 97 | 14 | 854.2 | 1.20% |
| Marinette | 9/23/2020 | 783 | 9,440 | 19 | 7 | 1,912.60 | 0.90% |
| Marquette | 9/23/2020 | 207 | 3,021 | 8 | 1 | 1,346.10 | 0.50% |
| Menominee | 9/23/2020 | 58 | 2,356 | 0 | 0 | 1,323.60 | 0.00% |
| Milwaukee | 9/23/2020 | 27,356 | 248,038 | 1,648 | 525 | 2,896.40 | 1.90% |
| Monroe | 9/23/2020 | 423 | 9,848 | 13 | 2 | 919.6 | 0.50% |
| Oconto | 9/23/2020 | 729 | 8,534 | 42 | 4 | 1,920.30 | 0.50% |
| Oneida | 9/23/2020 | 366 | 7,850 | 6 | 2 | 1,019.10 | 0.50% |
| Outagamie | 9/23/2020 | 3,793 | 39,192 | 232 | 28 | 2,063.70 | 0.70% |
| Ozaukee | 9/23/2020 | 1,259 | 17,701 | 95 | 19 | 1,424.90 | 1.50% |
| Pepin | 9/23/2020 | 56 | 1,399 | 3 | 0 | 762 | 0.00% |
| Pierce | 9/23/2020 | 414 | 7,362 | 240 | 6 | 994.4 | 1.40% |
| Polk | 9/23/2020 | 228 | 8,612 | 6 | 2 | 519.4 | 0.90% |
| Portage | 9/23/2020 | 1,270 | 12,457 | 38 | 4 | 1,795.80 | 0.30% |
| Price | 9/23/2020 | 57 | 2,463 | 2 | 0 | 412.8 | 0.00% |
| Racine | 9/23/2020 | 4,585 | 63,147 | 423 | 94 | 2,348.80 | 2.10% |
| Richland | 9/23/2020 | 95 | 4,344 | 11 | 4 | 536.4 | 4.20% |
| Rock | 9/23/2020 | 2,327 | 34,590 | 192 | 32 | 1,452.00 | 1.40% |
| Rusk | 9/23/2020 | 52 | 2,206 | 6 | 1 | 357.8 | 1.90% |
| Sauk | 9/23/2020 | 832 | 18,571 | 57 | 3 | 1,327.30 | 0.40% |
| Sawyer | 9/23/2020 | 196 | 4,416 | 0 | 1 | 1,182.90 | 0.50% |
| Shawano | 9/23/2020 | 643 | 9,020 | 5 | 1 | 1,558.40 | 0.20% |
| Sheboygan | 9/23/2020 | 1,501 | 21,951 | 55 | 15 | 1,310.70 | 1.00% |
| St. Croix | 9/23/2020 | 859 | 15,233 | 63 | 8 | 974.3 | 0.90% |
| Taylor | 9/23/2020 | 157 | 2,700 | 3 | 3 | 762.9 | 1.90% |
| Trempealeau | 9/23/2020 | 580 | 6,426 | 17 | 2 | 1,977.40 | 0.30% |
| Vernon | 9/23/2020 | 186 | 5,579 | 5 | 0 | 614.1 | 0.00% |
| Vilas | 9/23/2020 | 177 | 4,281 | 5 | 1 | 817.3 | 0.60% |
| Walworth | 9/23/2020 | 2,503 | 23,068 | 146 | 34 | 2,439.20 | 1.40% |
| Washburn | 9/23/2020 | 95 | 2,775 | 5 | 1 | 599.3 | 1.10% |
| Washington | 9/23/2020 | 2,380 | 23,586 | 72 | 32 | 1,769.70 | 1.30% |
| Waukesha | 9/23/2020 | 6,838 | 78,475 | 636 | 86 | 1,715.30 | 1.30% |
| Waupaca | 9/23/2020 | 942 | 10,226 | 109 | 19 | 1,821.00 | 2.00% |
| Waushara | 9/23/2020 | 289 | 6,549 | 6 | 2 | 1,189.40 | 0.70% |
| Winnebago | 9/23/2020 | 2,988 | 38,248 | 137 | 23 | 1,764.50 | 0.80% |
| Wood | 9/23/2020 | 718 | 14,006 | 46 | 4 | 969.9 | 0.60% |
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