MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – The Department of Health Services received results of more than 10,000 coronavirus tests (10,570) for the first time since Saturday, but they showed an increased number and increased percentage of positive results.
The state report on Friday says there are 826 new cases of the coronavirus, with 69,059 cases now identified in the state since February 5. That’s 7.81% of the tests, compared to 7.5% yesterday and 7.03% the day before. It continues an upward trend looking over the past 14 days.
Tests came back positive in 64 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. Twenty of them had double- or triple-digit increases, including Brown, Calumet, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie, Sheboygan and Winnebago counties.
The death count rose by one to 1,068. There were two new deaths reported, in Outagamie and Milwaukee counties, but the death count was revised down 1 in Oconto County.
The percentage of deaths fell to 1.5% after more than a week-and-a-half at 1.6%. For comparison, on July 21 deaths accounted for 1.95% of known cases, and on June 21 they were 3% of the cases. Health officials say while a lot has been learned about treating COVID-19, the lower death percentage is mostly the result of the coronavirus spreading among younger people — children and adults in their 20s and 30s, who are more likely to be carriers of the virus than suffer the worst effects of it themselves.
The state says 36 more people were hospitalized for COVID-19. There are currently 367 patients in hospitals, with about one-third of them (120) in intensive care. There are 172 suspected COVID-19 patients in hospitals waiting for test results.
The number of rooms available at hospitals and clinics declined sharply from 26% of beds available Wednesday to 21% on Friday. That still leaves 2,437 beds open, including 311 ICU beds.
The Wisconsin Hospital Association reports 20 of the state’s 133 hospitals have less than a one week supply of gowns and 13 are running short on paper medical masks. Eleven hospitals still need goggles and 7 need more N95 masks, but that’s an improvement this week.
County-by-county case numbers will be added here shortly.
[CLICK HERE to find a community testing site]
To help people understand how their decisions affect their own health and others, the Department of Health Services introduced a decision tool at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/decision.htm. Going beyond reiterating best practices like social distancing and wearing masks, the tool describes how choices matter and offers suggestions to make activities safer.
County case numbers (counties with new cases or deaths are in bold)
Wisconsin
- Adams – 98 cases (+1) (2 deaths)
- Ashland – 30 cases (1 death)
- Barron – 347 cases (+1) (3 deaths)
- Bayfield – 40 cases (1 death)
- Brown – 4,739 cases (+57) (57 deaths)
- Buffalo – 51 cases (+1) (2 deaths)
- Burnett – 33 cases (+2) (1 death)
- Calumet – 428 cases (+11) (2 deaths)
- Chippewa – 293 cases (+5)
- Clark – 211 cases (+5) (8 deaths)
- Columbia – 310 case (+3) (2 deaths)
- Crawford – 94 cases (+1)
- Dane – 4,998 cases (+43) (39 deaths)
- Dodge – 993 cases (+11) (5 deaths)
- Door – 123 cases (+2) (3 deaths)
- Douglas – 235 cases (+2)
- Dunn – 152 cases (+2)
- Eau Claire – 699 cases (+12) (4 deaths)
- Florence – 18 cases (+1)
- Fond du Lac – 868 cases (+24) (8 deaths)
- Forest – 63 cases (+1) (4 deaths)
- Grant – 414 cases (+4) (16 deaths)
- Green – 235 cases (+6) (1 death)
- Green Lake – 68 cases (+1)
- Iowa – 107 cases (+1)
- Iron – 100 cases (+2) (1 death)
- Jackson – 66 cases (+1) (1 death)
- Jefferson – 801 cases (+36) (6 deaths)
- Juneau – 163 cases (+1) (1 death)
- Kenosha – 2,852 cases (+9) (60 deaths)
- Kewaunee – 153 cases (+4) (2 deaths)
- La Crosse – 1,016 cases (+8) (1 death)
- Lafayette – 180 cases (+2)
- Langlade – 76 cases (+1) (2 deaths)
- Lincoln – 74 cases (+1) (1 death)
- Manitowoc – 436 cases (+7) (1 death)
- Marathon – 720 cases (+2) (13 deaths)
- Marinette – 542 cases (+12) (5 deaths)
- Marquette – 81 cases (1 death)
- Menominee – 28 cases
- Milwaukee – 22,960 (+182) (475 deaths) (+1)
- Monroe – 261 cases (+7) (2 deaths)
- Oconto – 341 cases (+14) (1 death) (deaths revised -1 by state)
- Oneida – 190 cases (+3)
- Outagamie – 1,507 cases (+23) (17 deaths) (+1)
- Ozaukee – 830 cases (+6) (18 deaths)
- Pepin – 46 cases
- Pierce – 261 cases (+5) (4 deaths)
- Polk – 152 cases (+2) (2 deaths)
- Portage – 497 cases (+10)
- Price – 33 cases
- Racine – 3,794 cases (+32) (85 deaths)
- Richland – 40 cases (+2) (4 deaths)
- Rock – 1,535 (+21) (26 deaths)
- Rusk – 22 cases (1 death)
- Sauk – 560 cases (+13) (3 deaths)
- Sawyer – 134 cases (+7)
- Shawano – 228 cases (+5)
- Sheboygan – 917 cases (+14) (8 deaths)
- St. Croix – 562 cases (+8) (6 deaths)
- Taylor – 79 cases (+1) (2 deaths)
- Trempealeau – 392 cases (+3) (2 deaths)
- Vernon – 84 cases (+4)
- Vilas – 88 cases (cases revised -1 by state)
- Walworth – 1,573 cases (+27) (25 deaths)
- Washburn – 53 cases (+1)
- Washington – 1,403 cases (+46) (25 deaths)
- Waukesha – 5,138 cases (+75) (70 deaths)
- Waupaca – 571 cases (+8) (16 deaths)
- Waushara – 132 cases (+4) (1 death)
- Winnebago – 1,335 cases (+14) (19 deaths)
- Wood – 406 cases (+7) (2 deaths)
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
- Alger – 16 cases (+1)
- Baraga – 6 cases
- Chippewa – 33 cases
- Delta – 97 cases (3 deaths)
- Dickinson – 59 cases (2 deaths)
- Gogebic – 128 cases (1 death)
- Houghton – 48 cases
- Iron – 23 cases (1 death)
- Keweenaw – 2 cases
- Luce – 4 cases
- Mackinac – 23 cases (+1)
- Marquette – 195 cases (+3) (11 deaths)
- Menominee – 177 cases
- Ontonagon – 28 cases
- Schoolcraft – 13 cases
Symptoms
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified these as possible symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever of 100.4 or higher
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
Symptoms that require immediate medical attention include:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or inability to rouse
- Bluish lips or face
- The CDC says this is not an all-inclusive list. Consult a medical provider about any symptoms that are severe or concerning.
Prevention
- The coronavirus is a new, or “novel,” virus. Nobody has a natural immunity to it. Children and teens seem to recover best from the virus. Older people and those with underlying health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease) are considered at high risk, according to the CDC. Precautions are also needed around people with developing or weakened immune systems.
- To help prevent the spread of the virus:
- Stay at least six feet away from other people
- Avoid close contact with people who are or appear sick
- Stay at home as much as possible
- Cancel events and avoid groups, gatherings, play dates and nonessential appointments
- Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care
- Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
- Cover your mouth and nose with a mask. At a minimum, use a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
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