State Officials Predict Worsening Outbreak With No Behavior Changes
Weekly totals for cases, hospitalizations and deaths all set all-time highs.
COVID-19. Credit: U.S. Army.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported 5,096 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 from 18,692 processed tests on Friday afternoon.
“The President has said we’re rounding the corner. There is little data to support that,” said Governor Tony Evers Friday morning in imploring Wisconsin residents to stay home whenever possible and limit their social circle to their own household for the time being.
Besides a call for people to mind their personal health to limit the virus’ effects and its spread, Evers has a simple message for those that must go out.
“People have to wear a freaking mask, simple as that,” said the Governor.
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 rate figure to be sustained under five percent.
A record 29,614 Wisconsin residents have tested positive for the disease in the past week. Since the pandemic began 220,092 people have tested positive.
“In these two months, our seven-day average has increased by more than 500 percent,” said DHS Secretary-designee Andrea Palm of the surge in cases.
Lagging indicators of the disease’s spread continue to set new highs, while state health officials warn that hospitalization and death surges are connected to earlier record case reports.
Dr. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer of the DHS Bureau of Communicable Diseases, called it a “nightmare scenario” during a Tuesday afternoon press briefing.
Friday morning he expressed dismay with how things are going.
“Personally and frankly I am surprised and disappointed that we have failed as much as we have to slow the virus. I say that because it is important to understand that there is still time to turn this around,” said Westergaard.
He said left unchecked the virus would infect 70 to 80 percent of Wisconsin residents. “It’s probably fewer than 10% of Wisconsin residents that have been infected,” said Westergaard, estimating those with confirmed and unconfirmed cases.
“I think it’s so important we understand we can turn the corner,” he said. “If we don’t do that it would not be surprising for numbers to continue to get worse.”
In the meantime, the numbers continue to get worse.
The state reported that 142 people were newly hospitalized in the past 24 hours. A total of 11,145 people have required hospitalization since the outbreak began, 1,107 in the past week.
A record eight patients are in the Alternate Care Facility in West Allis.
DHS reported 24 deaths Friday. A total of 1,972 Wisconsin residents have died as a result of the virus, including 585 in Milwaukee County. Officials confirmed Tuesday that the total includes only people where a medical examiner determined the disease was a contributing factor in the death.
An average of 21.5 deaths per day have been reported over the past 30 days, the second-highest total on record beyond yesterday’s 21.6. Thirty days ago the figure stood at 7.27.
Westergaard said the case fatality rate has fallen because of a broadening age distribution in those who contract the virus. “Anyone who is infected can become severely ill,” he said, noting that death wasn’t the only negative outcome. “I think the short lesson is deaths are on the rise because cases on the rise.”
Since September, Milwaukee County has gone from having the worst per-capita outbreak to the 15th worst in the state, even as its case and hospitalization load has surged to record levels.
Menominee County has recorded 7,576.4 cases per 100,000 residents (up from 7,188.5). Shawano County has recorded 6,226.4 cases per 100,000 residents (up from 6,073.7). Brown, Oconto, Kewaunee, Calumet, Forest, Winnebago, Langlade, Outagamie, Dodge, Florence, Waupaca and Fond du Lac counties are the remaining counties leading Milwaukee.
According to DHS data, 4,416.4 out of every 100,000 Milwaukee County residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak began (up from 4,371.9).
The statewide average of cases per 100,000 residents rose to 3,807.1 (up from 3,719). Wisconsin has recorded a per-capita rate of 891.7 cases per 100,000 residents in the past two weeks according to the DHS activity level report released Wednesday.
Charts and Maps
Data from DHS.
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.
Cases and deaths by county
| Number of confirmed cases | Number of negatives* | Number of probable cases | Number of deaths † | Number of probable deaths ‡ | Cases per 100,000 people (counties) | Deaths per 100,000 people (counties) | Case fatality percentage †† | |
| “la crosse” | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | ||
| Adams | 562 | 5,127 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 2,742.10 | 19.5 | 0.70% |
| Ashland | 291 | 4,140 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1,834.50 | 18.9 | 1.00% |
| Barron | 1,223 | 12,338 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 2,665.60 | 15.3 | 0.60% |
| Bayfield | 256 | 4,022 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1,683.80 | 13.2 | 0.80% |
| Brown | 15,983 | 93,519 | 358 | 101 | 3 | 6,139.50 | 38.8 | 0.60% |
| Buffalo | 309 | 3,226 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2,287.40 | 22.2 | 1.00% |
| Burnett | 320 | 3,699 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 2,071.60 | 38.8 | 1.90% |
| Calumet | 2,772 | 13,570 | 66 | 11 | 0 | 5,385.00 | 21.4 | 0.40% |
| Chippewa | 1,865 | 18,966 | 36 | 21 | 2 | 2,904.10 | 32.7 | 1.10% |
| Clark | 962 | 7,023 | 77 | 17 | 3 | 2,769.10 | 48.9 | 1.80% |
| Columbia | 1,863 | 19,427 | 138 | 7 | 0 | 3,261.10 | 12.3 | 0.40% |
| Crawford | 367 | 5,166 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2,216.90 | 6 | 0.30% |
| Dane | 15,521 | 239,629 | 573 | 49 | 1 | 2,936.80 | 9.3 | 0.30% |
| Dodge | 4,453 | 28,635 | 166 | 28 | 1 | 4,991.90 | 31.4 | 0.60% |
| Door | 896 | 9,336 | 66 | 8 | 0 | 3,194.20 | 28.5 | 0.90% |
| Douglas | 820 | 10,270 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1,869.00 | 4.6 | 0.20% |
| Dunn | 1,130 | 11,430 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 2,523.60 | 2.2 | 0.10% |
| Eau Claire | 3,738 | 30,174 | 38 | 16 | 1 | 3,632.90 | 15.6 | 0.40% |
| Florence | 216 | 1,150 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4,885.80 | 158.3 | 3.20% |
| Fond du Lac | 4,817 | 29,609 | 153 | 20 | 0 | 4,659.80 | 19.3 | 0.40% |
| Forest | 494 | 2,573 | 19 | 11 | 0 | 5,380.10 | 119.8 | 2.20% |
| Grant | 1,974 | 16,823 | 81 | 34 | 0 | 3,769.00 | 64.9 | 1.70% |
| Green | 999 | 10,488 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 2,710.00 | 13.6 | 0.50% |
| Green Lake | 785 | 5,267 | 118 | 4 | 0 | 4,112.50 | 21 | 0.50% |
| Iowa | 523 | 7,168 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 2,197.60 | 4.2 | 0.20% |
| Iron | 208 | 1,801 | 45 | 4 | 0 | 3,559.20 | 68.4 | 1.90% |
| Jackson | 564 | 7,497 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2,732.00 | 4.8 | 0.20% |
| Jefferson | 2,880 | 24,622 | 119 | 15 | 0 | 3,401.20 | 17.7 | 0.50% |
| Juneau | 824 | 10,828 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3,062.30 | 14.9 | 0.50% |
| Kenosha | 5,321 | 48,793 | 552 | 83 | 2 | 3,162.90 | 49.3 | 1.60% |
| Kewaunee | 1,122 | 5,129 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 5,435.00 | 33.9 | 0.60% |
| La Crosse | 4,473 | 32,771 | 164 | 22 | 0 | 3,780.00 | 18.6 | 0.50% |
| Lafayette | 576 | 4,456 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3,411.70 | 5.9 | 0.20% |
| Langlade | 1,045 | 4,811 | 29 | 11 | 1 | 5,283.90 | 55.6 | 1.10% |
| Lincoln | 872 | 6,907 | 38 | 12 | 2 | 3,065.90 | 42.2 | 1.40% |
| Manitowoc | 2,951 | 19,639 | 350 | 16 | 3 | 3,677.10 | 19.9 | 0.50% |
| Marathon | 5,127 | 31,718 | 381 | 54 | 4 | 3,805.10 | 40.1 | 1.10% |
| Marinette | 1,808 | 12,186 | 130 | 14 | 0 | 4,416.40 | 34.2 | 0.80% |
| Marquette | 647 | 4,179 | 82 | 2 | 0 | 4,207.30 | 13 | 0.30% |
| Menominee | 332 | 3,231 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7,576.40 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Milwaukee | 41,932 | 317,267 | 2,677 | 585 | 5 | 4,439.70 | 61.9 | 1.40% |
| Monroe | 1,200 | 12,643 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 2,608.80 | 15.2 | 0.60% |
| Oconto | 2,196 | 11,711 | 94 | 17 | 3 | 5,784.70 | 44.8 | 0.80% |
| Oneida | 1,327 | 11,461 | 17 | 13 | 0 | 3,695.00 | 36.2 | 1.00% |
| Outagamie | 9,592 | 55,224 | 388 | 78 | 0 | 5,218.70 | 42.4 | 0.80% |
| Ozaukee | 2,420 | 25,162 | 266 | 25 | 2 | 2,738.80 | 28.3 | 1.00% |
| Pepin | 162 | 1,887 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2,204.40 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Pierce | 765 | 9,977 | 235 | 7 | 0 | 1,837.40 | 16.8 | 0.90% |
| Polk | 597 | 11,564 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 1,359.90 | 6.8 | 0.50% |
| Portage | 2,904 | 17,754 | 81 | 21 | 1 | 4,106.40 | 29.7 | 0.70% |
| Price | 382 | 3,693 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 2,766.50 | 21.7 | 0.80% |
| Racine | 7,889 | 78,568 | 835 | 113 | 2 | 4,041.40 | 57.9 | 1.40% |
| Richland | 488 | 6,927 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 2,755.20 | 50.8 | 1.80% |
| Rock | 5,408 | 48,587 | 245 | 46 | 2 | 3,374.40 | 28.7 | 0.90% |
| Rusk | 232 | 3,061 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1,596.30 | 6.9 | 0.40% |
| Sauk | 1,884 | 25,146 | 67 | 7 | 0 | 3,005.50 | 11.2 | 0.40% |
| Sawyer | 400 | 5,472 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2,414.10 | 18.1 | 0.80% |
| Shawano | 2,569 | 12,066 | 19 | 26 | 1 | 6,226.40 | 63 | 1.00% |
| Sheboygan | 5,010 | 30,260 | 128 | 29 | 1 | 4,375.00 | 25.3 | 0.60% |
| St. Croix | 1,974 | 21,396 | 100 | 11 | 0 | 2,238.90 | 12.5 | 0.60% |
| Taylor | 523 | 3,773 | 28 | 7 | 0 | 2,541.30 | 34 | 1.30% |
| Trempealeau | 1,101 | 8,072 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 3,753.60 | 10.2 | 0.30% |
| Vernon | 528 | 8,587 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1,743.30 | 6.6 | 0.40% |
| Vilas | 612 | 5,824 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 2,826.00 | 32.3 | 1.10% |
| Walworth | 3,502 | 28,793 | 301 | 39 | 1 | 3,412.80 | 38 | 1.10% |
| Washburn | 261 | 3,849 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1,646.40 | 12.6 | 0.80% |
| Washington | 4,721 | 33,989 | 389 | 43 | 2 | 3,510.40 | 32 | 0.90% |
| Waukesha | 13,040 | 106,746 | 1,050 | 125 | 3 | 3,271.10 | 31.4 | 1.00% |
| Waupaca | 2,519 | 13,742 | 260 | 44 | 7 | 4,869.40 | 85.1 | 1.70% |
| Waushara | 1,065 | 8,170 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 4,383.10 | 20.6 | 0.50% |
| Winnebago | 9,165 | 55,328 | 471 | 66 | 2 | 5,412.10 | 39 | 0.70% |
| Wood | 1,834 | 19,019 | 113 | 10 | 2 | 2,477.50 | 13.5 | 0.50% |
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More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
- Governors Tony Evers, JB Pritzker, Tim Walz, and Gretchen Whitmer Issue a Joint Statement Concerning Reports that Donald Trump Gave Russian Dictator Putin American COVID-19 Supplies - Gov. Tony Evers - Oct 11th, 2024
- MHD Release: Milwaukee Health Department Launches COVID-19 Wastewater Testing Dashboard - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Jan 23rd, 2024
- 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
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Let’s try a different headline Insert the correct percentages. Call me and I will work with you on this Tom Spelman 414 403 1341
9000 NEW CASES Today that means that in the next month of these 9000 150 people WILL DIE because MANY of YOU DID NOT DO YOUR PART of those 150 100 plus will be over the age of 60 so they WILL be someone parents or grandparents!!
No sure what the hospitalization % is but lets say it is 8% figure out the impact slightly more complicated
720 of those people will need a Hospital BED with a DOCTOR and a NURSE to staff it YOU ARE ASKING THEM to RISK there LIVES because YOU were too lazy or had to be politically correct or whatever to WEAR a FACE MASK!
YOU who refuse to wear a mask FULLY expect to be taken care of by Doctors and Nurses who RISK THEIR LIVES FOR ?????
Someone who thinks they know better
Someone who wants to be politically correct
Someone who is a Republican
Someone who is a TRUMP follower
Someone…….
Illinois is posting WHERE folks are getting infected
ON WHOSE HAND IS THIS BLOOD 70% of the Citizens what mask orders and WHO is fighting that LIST THE BASTARDS Send this out every day as a special notice an update it daily