COVID-19 in Wisconsin: 33 deaths, 286 hospitalizations, average 1,369 cases per day – WBAY

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – Wisconsin’s COVID-19 death toll went up by 33 lives in Tuesday’s Wisconsin Department of Health Services report, to 7,549. That’s the highest one-day increase in the death toll since the end of July. One of the virus’s victims was a person from Green Lake County, while the death count in Sheboygan County was revised downward. The DHS says 21 of the 33 deaths just reported to the state happened in the past 30 days and raised the state’s 7-day average to 8 deaths per day.

Wisconsin’s coronavirus case numbers also bounded to an average 1,369 cases per day over the past 7-day period. A day ago, that rolling average was 1,290. Five days ago, it was 1,241. The DHS says it received 2,170 positive tests since its last report. Nearly 650,000 cases (649,636) have been identified since the virus was first confirmed in Wisconsin in February, 2020.

The percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive jumped a half-percent, from 7.1% of all tests to 7.6% Tuesday, based on the 7-day average. (County-by-county numbers of cases and deaths appear later in this article.)

Then there are the hospital admissions. The cumulative total rose by 286 patients since Monday. That’s the first time there were more than 200 people hospitalized for COVID-19 in one day since June 1, and the most in a day since November 10, 2020.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) reported there are 804 COVID-19 patients in the state, with 244 of them in intensive care units. Our records show the state hasn’t seen more than 800 COVID-19 patients at one time since January 21 of this year. The WHA says 62 of those patients were in Northeast health care region hospitals, including 24 in ICU. Fox Valley hospitals are treating 62 patients, including 10 in intensive care.

More COVID-19 coverage

Vaccinations

There’s positive news on vaccinations. The DHS reports an even 54% of Wisconsin’s population received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, which is 3,143,003 people. The state says 50.8% of the population finished their vaccination series, or 2,957,353 people.

These percentages include Wisconsin’s population that isn’t eligible for any vaccine: children under 12. Looking only at the adult population, 61.4% of Wisconsinites 18 and older are fully vaccinated, out of 64.8% of adults who received at least one shot.

As we head into the school year, it’s worth pointing out that more than 40% of children 12 to 15 years old received at least their first dose of the vaccine, and 16- and 17-year-olds have nearly caught up to young adults in the percentage to get their first shot (47.1% to 47.5%). The vaccine was approved for 16- and 17-year-olds in April; 12- to 15-year-olds became eligible in mid-May. Monday night, the Appleton Area School District school board voted to require face masks for all students, staff and visitors.

Wisconsinites getting COVID-19 vaccine, by age group (and change since last report)

  • 12-15: 40.2% received vaccine (+0.2)/33.2% fully vaccinated (+0.3)
  • 16-17: 47.1% received vaccine (+0.1)/41.7% fully vaccinated (+0.2)
  • 18-24: 47.5% received vaccine (+0.1)/42.9% fully vaccinated (+0.1)
  • 25-34: 51.8% received vaccine (+0.1)/47.5% fully vaccinated (+0.0)
  • 35-44: 59.6% received vaccine (+0.0)/55.6% fully vaccinated (+0.1)
  • 45-54: 61.5% received vaccine (+0.0)/58.0% fully vaccinated (+0.1)
  • 55-64: 71.2% received vaccine (+0.1)/68.1% fully vaccinated (+0.0)
  • 65 and up: 84.5% received vaccine (+0.0)/82.5% fully vaccinated (+0.1)

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says soon it will update its website with visualizations of COVID-19 cases and deaths by school district. Like the current maps on cases and vaccinations, the data would cover the entire population within a district’s boundaries, it would not be specific to schools.

VACCINATIONS BY COUNTY POPULATION (TUESDAY)

County (Population) (Health region) % of population (change from previous report) Completed % of population (change from previous report)
Brown (264,542) (NE) 54.4% (+0.1) 51.3% (+0.1)
Calumet (50,089) (FV) 48.9% (+0.1) 46.3% (+0.0)
Dodge (87,839) 43.7% (+0.1) 41.0% (+0.1)
Door (27,668) (NE) 68.9% (+0.1) 66.1% (+0.1)
Fond du Lac (103,403) (SE) 46.6% (+0.1) 43.9% (+0.1)
Forest (9,004) 44.3% (+0.1) 42.0% (+0.1)
Florence (4,295) (NE) 45.9% (+0.0) 43.9% (+0.0)
Green Lake (18,913) (FV) 47.6% (+0.0) 45.0% (+0.0)
Kewaunee (20,434) (NE) 44.0% (+0.0) 41.6% (+0.0)
Manitowoc (78,981) (NE) 51.2% (+0.0) 48.3% (+0.1)
Marinette (40,350) (NE) 44.9% (+0.0) 42.2% (+0.1)
Menominee (4,556) (FV) 61.7% (+0.5) 52.8% (+0.2)
Oconto (37,930) (NE) 45.3% (+0.1) 42.9% (+0.1)
Outagamie (187,885) (FV) 54.2% (+0.1) 51.1% (+0.1)
Shawano (40,899) (FV) 40.1% (+0.1) 37.6% (+0.1)
Sheboygan (115,340) (SE) 52.5% (+0.1) 49.7% (+0.1)
Waupaca (50,990) (FV) 46.6% (+0.0) 44.1% (+0.0)
Waushara (24,443) (FV) 38.3% (+0.1) 36.5% (+0.1)
Winnebago (171,907) (FV) 51.9% (+0.1) 49.1% (+0.1)
NORTHEAST REGION (474,200) (NE) 249,600 (52.6%) (+0.0) 235,689 (49.7%) (+0.1)
FOX VALLEY REGION (549,682) (FV) 276,863 (50.4%) (+0.1) 261,259 (47.5%) (+0.0)
WISCONSIN (5,822,434) 3,1343,003 (54.0%) (+0.1) 2,957,353 (50.8%) (+0.1)

Gov. Tony Evers announced an incentive program offering $100 to people who get their first vaccine shot (or, if they get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, their only shot) between now and Labor Day. The governor admitted he was reluctant to make such an offer but was convinced by the success of the incentive program in Michigan. See our separate article for details. Announcing the program in Oshkosh, the governor said we are no longer fighting the COVID-19 virus, we’re in a fight against its delta variant and any other variant that evolves from the virus. Current vaccinations have shown to be effective against the delta variant, significantly reducing the risk of symptoms or death, state health officials reported last week with a side-by-side comparison, even though their viral load might be the same.

The Wisconsin National Guard and local health departments are offering vaccination clinics in Winnebago, Outagamie and Calumet counties each week through September 2nd. No appointment, no ID, and no insurance are needed. These clinics offer the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, and some may have the Johnson & Johnson vaccine — that’s always subject to change based on availability. Children 12 to 17 need to be with a parent or guardian, and they’re only eligible for the Pfizer vaccine; they’ll be eligible for their second dose in 3 weeks and are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after that.

  • TUESDAYS – Fox Crossing Fire Department, 1326 Cold Spring Rd., 2:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.
  • WEDNESDAYS – Black Creek Fire Department, W5200 Cty Rd B, 9:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
  • WEDNESDAYS – Shiocton-Bovina Fire Department, W7740 Pine St., Bovina, 2:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.
  • THURSDAYS – New Holstein Community Center, 1725 Silver Moon Ln., 9:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
  • THURSDAYS – Brillion Community Center, 120 Center St., 2:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.

The Winnebago County Health Department also announced COVID-19 vaccination clinics on August 24, 27 and 31 at the Oshkosh Public Library at 106 Washington Ave. These are walk-in clinics; no appointment is needed. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be offered. The Winnebago County Health Department is encouraging everyone to get vaccinated as the school year starts.

TUESDAY’S COUNTY CASE AND DEATH TOTALS (increase since the last report is in bold) **

  • Brown – 33,427 cases (+160) (259 deaths)
  • Calumet – 6,124 cases (+11) (51 deaths)
  • Dickinson (Mich.)* – 2,473 cases (59 deaths)
  • Dodge – 12,495 cases (+22) (178 deaths)
  • Door – 2,747 cases (+7) (30 deaths)
  • Florence – 462 cases (+2) (13 deaths)
  • Fond du Lac – 13,195 cases (+27) (133 deaths)
  • Forest – 1,025 cases (+3) (24 deaths)
  • Gogebic (Mich.)* – 1,138 cases (24 deaths)
  • Green Lake – 1,731 cases (+23) (22 deaths) (+1)
  • Iron (Mich.)* – 1,028 cases (43 deaths)
  • Kewaunee – 2,466 cases (+7) (28 deaths)
  • Langlade – 2,153 cases (+13) (35 deaths)
  • Manitowoc – 7,957 cases (+41) (79 deaths)
  • Marinette – 4,408 cases (+23) (68 deaths)
  • Menominee (Mich.)* – 1,898 cases (42 deaths)
  • Menominee – 843 cases (+1) (11 deaths)
  • Oconto – 4,753 cases (+20) (63 deaths)
  • Outagamie – 21,698 cases (+54) (227 deaths)
  • Shawano – 4,968 cases (+18) (73 deaths)
  • Sheboygan – 14,564 cases (+76) (156 deaths) (deaths revised -1 by state)
  • Waupaca – 5,201 cases (+13) (125 deaths)
  • Waushara – 2,301 cases (+13) (36 deaths)
  • Winnebago – 19,291 cases (+130) (206 deaths)

* The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Wisconsin Hospital Association do not publish updates on weekends. Update: 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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