“Nightmare scenario:” Wisconsin reports more than 5,200 new cases, 65 deaths

The state of Wisconsin confirmed 5,262 new coronavirus cases and 65 deaths on Tuesday.

Looking ahead, state officials said things aren’t likely to get better.

“It’s a nightmare scenario, frankly, that this could get quite a bit worse in the next several weeks or months before it gets better,” Dr. Ryan Westergaard, Chief Medical Officer of the state’s Bureau of Communicable Diseases said in a media briefing.

The previous high for deaths reported in a single day was 48, reported on October 24.

The seven-day positive test rate increased to 25.7 percent, up from 25.4 on Monday.

The total number of cases ever confirmed in Wisconsin is now 206,311, of which more than 43,000 — 21% — are considered active.

The seven-day average of new cases rose to 3,937. The seven-day average of deaths is now 31.29.

Hospitalizations also set another record today, with 1,385 currently hospitalized, 35 more than Monday and 193 more than a week ago. Of those, a record 339 are in the ICU.

Deaths were reported in 27 counties, including nine in Outagamie County, seven in Milwaukee County. Locations of all deaths are below:

All of those whose deaths were reported today were 50 years old or older. Four were aged 50-59, eight were aged 60-69, 16 were between 70 and 79 years of age, 29 were in their 80s and seven were aged 90 or older.

Additionally, one death that had been reported in Florence County was removed from the data, so Wisconsin’s total death toll increased by 64 to 1,852.

All counties’ new case counts are below. Milwaukee had the most with nearly 1,000 cases.