For the first time, the single-day increase in coronavirus cases exceeds 500, as 514 new cases have been confirmed in the past 24 hours.
The percentage of coronavirus tests that came back positive in the past 24 hours jumped to 8.3 percent — up from 6.3 percent — but the average over the past 14 days is still on a downward trajectory.
However, Milwaukee County reported an additional 242 new cases after the state posted the positive test rate – the fifth consecutive triple-digit increase for the state’s largest county.
Wisconsin now has had a total of 12,368 cases, according to Department of Health Services and county public health data.
The latest increase comes days after the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the Governor Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” order, allowing businesses to reopen without restriction throughout much of Wisconsin. Some local counties and cities enacted their own orders, however.
Overall since the crisis began, 8.3 percent of all tests have come back positive. That’s slightly lower than it was yesterday, when it was 8.42 percent.
The largest increase in new cases today come from Milwaukee County, which increased by 214. The outbreak in Brown County seems to remain under control, as 36 more cases were identified and 5.7 percent of tests came back positive — down from more than 59 percent a week ago. An outbreak at a meat packing plant in Green Bay has significantly increased the number of positive cases in Brown County, which have now reached 2,070 in the county. That’s a rate of 797 cases per 100,000 residents — far higher than the second-highest rate, 513 in Racine County.
It marks the first time Racine County has eclipsed Milwaukee’s rate, which is now 499 cases per 100,000 residents. Racine County remains a hotspot, with an increased by 84 as 31 percent of tests came back positive, bringing the county’s infection rate to 470 per 100,000 residents. Similarly, Kenosha County reports an additional 40 cases as 23 percent of tests came back positive.
A day after a spike of 18 cases mostly connected with an assisted living facility, Dane County added 6 new case as just 1.2 percent of tests came back positive.
The statewide death toll is now 453, with 9 more fatalities since Wednesday afternoon.
The rate of disparity in Latino populations continues to stand out — 31 percent of total cases are now Latino people. Latinos make up just seven percent of the state’s overall population.
Similarly, 21 percent of all cases are Black people, who also make up just under 30 percent of deaths. Black people make up just six percent of the state’s population.
DHS also reports that 53 percent of those confirmed to have been infected have recovered and 3.7 percent have died.
