Testing Slowing, But Death Rate Hasn’t
170 deaths from disease as week-over-week testing total falls.
COVID-19. Credit: U.S. Army.
Is Wisconsin flattening the curve?
The public health strategy relates to slowing the spread of COVID-19 so that the caseload does not overwhelm the health care system. And data released over the past week suggests, at least for now, the number of new cases of COVID-19 isn’t growing exponentially.
It’s a hot topic on social media as armchair public health pundits have begun offering strategies ranging from ending all social distancing requirements to testing every Wisconsin resident on a tri-weekly basis.
Public officials have even begun to weigh in.
“I do believe we are starting to see some signs of progress,” said Mayor Tom Barrett during a press briefing Monday afternoon. But Barrett said the most important thing people could do is to continue to practice social distancing.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) officials have been consistent that social distancing, the practice of staying six feet away from others, and the measures in the “Safer at Home” order are necessary to prevent a spike in cases at this point.
They’re also closely looking for new outbreaks related to the April 7th election or Easter holiday. People can go up to 14 days without showing symptoms of the disease.
But while state officials wait to see if either event causes a spike in the outbreak, new cases and deaths continue to be reported.
Figures released Tuesday by the DHS shows 127 new cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin. The number of people testing positive over the length of the outbreak has risen to 3,555. A total of 37,997 Wisconsin residents have tested negative.
DHS reported 16 additional confirmed deaths from the disease, bringing the state total to 170. That’s the third-highest one day total. DHS reported 78 confirmed deaths over the past week. Over the length of the outbreak, 101 deaths have been recorded in Milwaukee County.
Data released over the past week from DHS indicates that there is more supply than demand for testing, with 20 labs across the state capable of processing more than 3,500 tests combined in a given day. Over the past seven days, the peak 24-hour test processing window was April 10th with 1,984 tests reported. Over the past week 10,462 people were tested, down from 12,364 the week prior.
The capacity, which has grown throughout the outbreak, is far short of the capacity necessary to test anyone who wants to be tested. But the state has expanded guidance to allow testing on anyone showing symptoms for which a physician believes a diagnosis would be beneficial.
The hospitalization rate for confirmed cases over the length of the outbreak rose to 30 percent (1,049 instances) with the latest report.
Charts and Maps
Wisconsin COVID-19 summary
| Status | Number (%) of People as of 4/14/2020 |
|---|---|
| Negative Test Result | 37,997 |
| Positive Test Result | 3,555 |
| Hospitalizations | 1049 (30%) |
| Deaths | 170 |
Percent of COVID-19 cases by hospitalization status
| Hospitilization status | Number of confirmed cases as of 4/14/2020 | Percent of confirmed cases as of 4/14/2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Ever hospitalized | 1,049 | 30% |
| Never hospitalized | 1,841 | 52% |
| Unknown | 665 | 19% |
| Total | 3,555 | 100% |
Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by race
| Race | Number of cases as of 4/14/2020 | Percent of cases as of 4/14/2020 | Number of deaths as of 4/14/2020 | Percent of deaths as of 4/14/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian | 32 | 1% | 2 | 1% |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 88 | 2% | 4 | 2% |
| Black | 895 | 25% | 69 | 41% |
| White | 1,806 | 51% | 93 | 55% |
| Multiple or Other races | 85 | 2% | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown | 649 | 18% | 2 | 1% |
| Total | 3,555 | 100% | 170 | 100% |
Confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths by ethnicity
| Ethnicity | Number of cases as of 4/14/2020 | Percent of cases as of 4/14/2020 | Number of deaths as of 4/14/2020 | Percent of deaths as of 4/14/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 402 | 11% | 7 | 4% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 2,414 | 68% | 160 | 94% |
| Unknown | 739 | 21% | 3 | 2% |
| Total | 3,555 | 100% | 170 | 100% |
Percent of COVID-19 cases and deaths by gender
| Gender | Confirmed Cases as of 4/14/2020 | Deaths as of 4/14/2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 53% | 39% |
| Male | 47% | 61% |
| Total Number | 3,555 | 170 |
Summary of COVID-19 cases by age group
| Age Group (Years) | Cases as of 4/14/2020 | Ever hospitalized as of 4/14/2020 | Any Intensive Care as of 4/14/2020 | Deaths as of 4/14/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| <10 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 10-19 | 41 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 20-29 | 404 | 34 | 4 | 0 |
| 30-39 | 494 | 70 | 15 | 4 |
| 40-49 | 568 | 111 | 25 | 5 |
| 50-59 | 700 | 188 | 50 | 16 |
| 60-69 | 633 | 242 | 82 | 34 |
| 70-79 | 403 | 220 | 65 | 51 |
| 80-89 | 222 | 144 | 34 | 39 |
| 90+ | 76 | 33 | 8 | 21 |
| Total | 3,555 | 1,049 | 283 | 170 |
Number of positive results by county
| Wisconsin County | Positive as of 4/14/2020 | Negative as of 4/14/2020 | Deaths as of 4/14/2020 | Rate (positive cases per 100,000 people) as of 4/14/2020 | Case fatality percentage (percent of cases who died) as of 4/14/2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | 3 | 93 | 0 | 14.9 | 0% |
| Ashland | 2 | 66 | 0 | 12.7 | 0% |
| Barron | 6 | 471 | 0 | 13.3 | 0% |
| Bayfield | 3 | 94 | 0 | 20.0 | 0% |
| Brown | 97 | 926 | 1 | 37.3 | 1% |
| Buffalo | 4 | 114 | 1 | 30.4 | 25% |
| Burnett | 0 | 57 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Calumet | 5 | 206 | 0 | 10.0 | 0% |
| Chippewa | 20 | 603 | 0 | 31.4 | 0% |
| Clark | 8 | 107 | 0 | 23.2 | 0% |
| Columbia | 25 | 476 | 1 | 43.9 | 4% |
| Crawford | 3 | 127 | 0 | 18.4 | 0% |
| Dane | 344 | 5,909 | 12 | 64.9 | 3% |
| Dodge | 19 | 538 | 1 | 21.6 | 5% |
| Door | 9 | 98 | 1 | 32.8 | 11% |
| Douglas | 7 | 332 | 0 | 16.1 | 0% |
| Dunn | 9 | 583 | 0 | 20.2 | 0% |
| Eau Claire | 21 | 1,193 | 0 | 20.4 | 0% |
| Florence | 2 | 8 | 0 | 46.1 | 0% |
| Fond du Lac | 59 | 909 | 2 | 57.7 | 3% |
| Forest | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Grant | 8 | 266 | 1 | 15.4 | 13% |
| Green | 9 | 202 | 0 | 24.4 | 0% |
| Green Lake | 1 | 97 | 0 | 5.3 | 0% |
| Iowa | 5 | 155 | 0 | 21.2 | 0% |
| Iron | 2 | 23 | 1 | 35.0 | 50% |
| Jackson | 10 | 132 | 1 | 48.8 | 10% |
| Jefferson | 24 | 504 | 0 | 28.4 | 0% |
| Juneau | 7 | 209 | 1 | 26.5 | 14% |
| Kenosha | 186 | 1,188 | 3 | 110.5 | 2% |
| Kewaunee | 4 | 63 | 1 | 19.6 | 25% |
| La Crosse | 25 | 1,252 | 0 | 21.2 | 0% |
| Lafayette | 3 | 56 | 0 | 17.9 | 0% |
| Langlade | 0 | 55 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Lincoln | 0 | 110 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Manitowoc | 4 | 173 | 0 | 5.0 | 0% |
| Marathon | 14 | 407 | 1 | 10.4 | 7% |
| Marinette | 4 | 158 | 0 | 9.9 | 0% |
| Marquette | 2 | 102 | 0 | 13.2 | 0% |
| Menominee | 1 | 8 | 0 | 21.8 | 0% |
| Milwaukee | 1,795 | 7,633 | 101 | 188.1 | 6% |
| Monroe | 8 | 432 | 0 | 17.6 | 0% |
| Oconto | 4 | 153 | 0 | 10.7 | 0% |
| Oneida | 6 | 183 | 0 | 17.0 | 0% |
| Outagamie | 29 | 680 | 2 | 15.7 | 7% |
| Ozaukee | 73 | 560 | 9 | 82.7 | 12% |
| Pepin | 0 | 75 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Pierce | 7 | 264 | 0 | 16.8 | 0% |
| Polk | 3 | 138 | 0 | 6.9 | 0% |
| Portage | 4 | 195 | 0 | 5.7 | 0% |
| Price | 1 | 43 | 0 | 7.4 | 0% |
| Racine | 135 | 1,063 | 5 | 69.1 | 4% |
| Richland | 6 | 157 | 0 | 34.2 | 0% |
| Rock | 59 | 1,036 | 4 | 36.5 | 7% |
| Rusk | 3 | 72 | 0 | 21.2 | 0% |
| Sauk | 28 | 438 | 4 | 44.0 | 14% |
| Sawyer | 2 | 151 | 0 | 12.2 | 0% |
| Shawano | 6 | 179 | 0 | 14.6 | 0% |
| Sheboygan | 36 | 559 | 2 | 31.2 | 6% |
| St. Croix | 10 | 266 | 0 | 11.4 | 0% |
| Taylor | 0 | 61 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Trempealeau | 1 | 291 | 0 | 3.4 | 0% |
| Vernon | 0 | 220 | 0 | 0.0 | 0% |
| Vilas | 4 | 80 | 0 | 18.5 | 0% |
| Walworth | 45 | 402 | 1 | 43.7 | 2% |
| Washburn | 1 | 105 | 0 | 6.4 | 0% |
| Washington | 73 | 1,011 | 3 | 54.3 | 4% |
| Waukesha | 224 | 2,197 | 9 | 56.2 | 4% |
| Waupaca | 4 | 210 | 1 | 7.8 | 25% |
| Waushara | 2 | 84 | 0 | 8.3 | 0% |
| Winnebago | 29 | 681 | 1 | 17.1 | 3% |
| Wood | 2 | 275 | 0 | 2.7 | 0% |
| Total | 3,555 | 37,997 | 170 | 61.5 | 5% |
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
- 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
- City of Milwaukee Bi-Weekly COVID-19 Update - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Dec 9th, 2022
Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic here
