Wisconsin COVID-19 deaths fall to lowest in 3 months
MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – Wisconsin’s COVID-19 metrics continue to drop after falling to pre-surge levels last week.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says 1,217 new cases were identified in the latest test results, helping to bring the state’s 7-day average down from 1,941 to 1,828 cases per day. That’s the lowest average since late October. In WBAY’s viewing area, 12 of the 20 counties we’re tracking saw single-digit increases in their case numbers since Monday.
The positivity rate fell to a 7-day average of 9.5% of all results. This is the percentage of all tests that were positive for the COVID-19 virus.
The DHS calculates Wisconsin averaged 13 COVID-19 deaths each day in the past week, the lowest 7-day average in three months. That rolling average was 18 a day ago. Thirty-four people were added to the state’s death toll since the state’s last report. The DHS says 15 of those deaths happened more than a month ago, so they’re not counted in the average. (Even if you did count them, we calculate the state received an average 27 death reports each day, the least in 2 months.)
Eleven of the 34 deaths just reported to the DHS were in Northeast Wisconsin counties: Brown (2), Fond du Lac, Oconto, Outagamie (2), Sheboygan (3), Waupaca and Waushara.
Hospitalizations took a jump Tuesday, but it may be a correction. As we reported Monday, the cumulative total was 262 lower than Friday. Tuesday, the total increased by 468. Figure out the difference, and 206 hospitalizations is comparable to what we’ve seen in recent weeks. It keeps the hospitalization rate at 4.24% of all COVID-19 cases, as it was on Friday, and the 7-day average is 70 people hospitalized each day, in line with the average of 68 hospitalizations per day on Friday. Still, these past two days of hospitalization data need an asterisk next to them.
Monday, the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reported 884 people in hospitals are receiving COVID-19 treatment, with 171 of them in intensive care. That’s the fewest COVID-19 patients in ICUs in six months and the fewest COVID-19 patients in hospitals at one time since late August. Hospitals in the Northeast health care region had 112 of these patients, 25 in ICU. Fox Valley hospitals were treating 56 patients, 10 in ICU.
We’re anticipating the release of the monthly comparison of cases, hospitalizations and deaths involving people who were vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who were unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. The report will show how the highly contagious omicron variant affected both groups. The variant’s symptoms were generally milder than the delta variant, but Wisconsin saw higher hospitalizations and deaths as a result of the sheer number of infections.
The DHS releases these comparisons after the second week of each month, to allow for data lag and make sure the comparisons use the most complete data. Last month, for reference, people who weren’t vaccinated were 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19, had 10 times the risk of being hospitalized, and had a 14 times greater risk of dying from the disease.
Vaccinations
The Department of Health Services is again reporting issues delaying the vaccination data. This report will be updated.
As of Monday, the state reported 67.5% of Wisconsinites received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including 63.6% of the population completing their vaccine series. We were on the verge of 3.5 million Wisconsinites (3,499,856) who could be called fully vaccinated.
Vaccinations by Age Group
- 5 to 11: 25.9% received vaccine/21.8% completed vaccinations
- 12 to 17: 60.3% received vaccine/56.0% completed vaccinations
- 18 to 24: 59.2% received vaccine/53.3% completed vaccinations
- 25 to 34: 63.3% received vaccine/58.4% completed vaccinations
- 35 to 44: 68.7% received vaccine/64.9% completed vaccinations
- 45 to 54: 71.2% received vaccine/68.1% completed vaccinations
- 55 to 64: 77.8% received vaccine/75.0% completed vaccinations
- 65 and up: 85.7% received vaccine/82.4% completed vaccinations
Vaccinations by County Population
| County (Population) (Health region) |
% of population with at least 1 dose |
% of population completed series |
|---|---|---|
| Brown (264,542) (NE) | 69.3% | 65.9% |
| Calumet (50,089) (FV) | 59.6% | 57.0% |
| Dodge (87,839) | 54.7% | 51.9% |
| Door (27,668) (NE) | 81.5% | 76.8% |
| Florence (4,295) (NE) | 53.9% | 51.3% |
| Fond du Lac (103,403) (SE) | 58.5% | 55.3% |
| Forest (9,004) | 55.5% | 52.4% |
| Green Lake (18,913) (FV) | 60.5% | 57.4% |
| Kewaunee (20,434) (NE) | 55.2% | 53.2% |
| Langlade (19,189) | 56.5% | 54.0% |
| Manitowoc (78,981) (NE) | 63.4% | 60.6% |
| Marinette (40,350) (NE) | 55.7% | 52.9% |
| Menominee (4,556) (FV) | 87.8% | 83.1% |
| Oconto (37,930) (NE) | 55.5% | 53.3% |
| Outagamie (187,885) (FV) | 67.9% | 64.6% |
| Shawano (40,899) (FV) | 50.2% | 48.0% |
| Sheboygan (115,340) (SE) | 66.0% | 62.8% |
| Waupaca (50,990) (FV) | 58.3% | 55.7% |
| Waushara (24,443) (FV) | 47.8% | 45.5% |
| Winnebago (171,907) (FV) | 65.4% | 61.9% |
| NORTHEAST REGION (474,200) (NE) | 295,886 (66.0%) | 281,922 (62.9%) |
| FOX VALLEY REGION (549,682) (FV) | 327,880 (63.1%) | 311,662 (60.0%) |
| WISCONSIN (5,822,434) | 3,715,935 (67.5%) | 3,499,856 (63.6%) |
To find free COVID-19 vaccination sites near you, text your ZIP Code to 438829. Visit wbay.com/vaccine for a list of health care organizations offering vaccine shots.
TUESDAY’S COUNTY CASE AND DEATH TOTALS* (boldface indicates change in cases or deaths since the last report) **
- Brown – 69,160 cases (+30) (366 deaths) (+2)
- Calumet – 11,353 cases (+9) (91 deaths)
- Dickinson (Mich.)* – 4,928 cases (82 deaths)
- Dodge – 24,007 cases (+19) (259 deaths)
- Door – 6,511 cases (+5) (48 deaths)
- Florence – 796 cases (+2) (15 deaths)
- Fond du Lac – 28,940 cases (+22) (207 deaths) (+1)
- Forest – 2,402 cases (+4) (43 deaths)
- Gogebic (Mich.)* – 2,678 cases (36 deaths)
- Green Lake – 4,108 cases (+5) (50 deaths)
- Iron (Mich.)* – 2,263 cases (68 deaths)
- Kewaunee – 4,526 cases (38 deaths)
- Langlade – 4,823 cases (+1) (60 deaths)
- Manitowoc – 17,074 cases (+14) (148 deaths)
- Marinette – 9,522 cases (+9) (90 deaths)
- Menominee (Mich.)* – 3,797 cases (59 deaths)
- Menominee – 1,812 (+1) (13 deaths)
- Oconto – 9,230 cases (+9) (83 deaths) (+1)
- Outagamie – 41,670 cases (+33) (302 deaths) (+2)
- Shawano – 9,620 cases (+5) (110 deaths)
- Sheboygan – 29,004 cases (+4) (240 deaths) (+3)
- Waupaca – 11,139 cases (+20) (186 deaths) (+1)
- Waushara – 4,909 cases (+7) (64 deaths) (+1)
- Winnebago – 43,062 cases (+55) (308 deaths)
* You can find cases and deaths for all 72 Wisconsin counties on the DHS County Data website. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Wisconsin Hospital Association publishes updates Mondays through Fridays. Michigan Department of Health updates information on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
** Cases and deaths are from state COVID-19 reports, which may differ from local health department numbers. The Wisconsin DHS reports cases from all health departments within a county’s boundaries, including tribal, municipal and county health departments; county websites may not. Also, public health departments update their data at various times, whereas the DHS freezes the numbers it receives by the same time every day to compile the afternoon report.
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