COVID-19 On the Decline

Data on COVID-19 in Milwaukee County and the city of Milwaukee continue to show that COVID-19 is on the decline locally.

During the past week, the number of confirmed cases countywide was lower than at any time since the start of the pandemic.

A weekly report compiled by epidemiologists and faculty from the Medical College of Wisconsin and UW-Milwaukee shows “very, very low cases,” said Darren Rausch, director of the Greenfield Health Department, who also works on the report.

Despite the massive decline in disease, the danger posed by COVID-19 has not changed for those that remain unvaccinated. A recent report by the Associated Press states that more than 99% of all deaths and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in May were among unvaccinated people. This maps onto what disease investigators are saying to public health officials locally, Rausch said.

Meanwhile, the weekly report shows the transmission rate in Milwaukee County is back below 1.0. This means, on average, each new case of COVID-19 is likely to transmit the disease to less than one other person.

The positivity rate, which measures the percentage of tests that come back positive for COVID-19 was 0.8% this past week. The week prior it was 1.6%.

The Milwaukee Health Department’s gating criteria, indicating disease burden in the city, is reflecting low levels of transmission for both the rate of disease and the local test positivity rate.

“This is absolutely worth celebrating,” said Kirsten Johnson, Milwaukee Health Commissioner.

The racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes in the Milwaukee area persist, and there have not been enough cases to affect the data, Rausch said.

Black residents still have a disproportionately high number of hospitalizations. Hispanic residents still have the highest rate of disease, and American Indian and Alaskan Natives still have the highest rate of death due to COVID-19.

Read the weekly report here. Read the children’s report here. Read city gating criteria here.