Public Health of Madison and Dane County reported 82 new COVID cases today, bringing the county’s cumulative total to 38,690. Of today’s 82 cases reported, 39 — about 48 percent — are aged 18-22. In comparison, adults in their 30s added 10 more cases and were 12.2 percent of today’s reported new cases. As of this morning, those aged 18-22 account for 22.4 percent of all cases in Dane County, but 24 percent of all tests since the pandemic began. There is no further information of how many of today’s new cases are from the UW campus.
For the past seven days, Dane County has averaged 21.9 cases per day per 100,000 residents – an increase from yesterday’s 21.0.
The area’s current recovered case count is now at 36,814 while active cases dropped to 1,508, or four percent of current cases, according to DHS’ update at 2 pm yesterday. Out of all cases in Dane County, about 51 percent were in Madison while 48 percent have been outside of Madison.
There was a slight increase in hospitalizations this morning with 64 people currently hospitalized for COVID-19. This includes people who reside in and out of Dane County. Of the 64 people currently hospitalized, 18 are in the ICU.
Dane County’s total death toll from COVID-19 remained at 256 this morning. There are now a total of 40 deaths reported for the month of January. December of 2020 still remains the deadliest month for the county with a total of 87 deaths from COVID-19.
Testing has increased as UW students have returned and the campus is requiring regular testing of all students. This could lead to an increase in total positive cases, as well as a decrease in positive test rate. According to preliminary data of all tests, the County is averaging 5,960 tests per day for the past seven days while the average number of tests for the past 14 days is at 6,257 tests per day.
As of yesterday’s dashboard update on UW’s website, UW is averaging 4,372 tests a day for the past seven days for on-campus testing with an average of 38.4 cases per day for the same time from in both in and off campus testing. For the past seven days, cases have grown for UW students and staff about 65 percent while testing on campus has grown about 3 percent. The positivity rate for on campus testing for staff and students remains at 0.8 percent for the past seven days. Since January 28, a total of 252 UW students and staff have tested positive out of more than 33,000 tests – an increase from the week of January 21 when there a total of 135 positive tests for UW staff and students.
According to this week’s Data Snapshot from PHMDC, about 17 percent of all cases between January 18 through January 31, were from UW students an staff or about 281 people (252 students, 29 staff). Of all tests conducted in Dane County, 54 percent were collected by University Health Services during this same time frame. 
For Dane County, the 14-day positive test rate as of February 3 remains at 1.9 while the seven-day rate also remains at 1.7. These rates do not include preliminary data from the past four days as that data continues to adjust as more tests are attributed.
For Dane County residents, the number of people ever hospitalized for COVID-19 has grown to 1,171.
More comprehensive data for vaccinations was unveiled on Friday morning as part of the PHMDC’s Data Dashboard. The data, to be updated every Wednesday and Friday per week, breaks down vaccinations in Dane County by age, and now by race and ethnicity. The data is retrieved from the Wisconsin Immunization Registry for all adults and children within the state. The release and the information on the dashboard does warn that some of this information may be incorrect or incomplete as the data is not updated as soon as someone is vaccinated or double checked as consistently as other data gathered.
In total, about 62,505 people have received at least one dose of vaccine — 11.4 percent of all Dane County residents — while 21,288, 3.9 percent of all residents, have completed both doses. Of those 62,505 residents, 38.2 percent are 65 and older while those aged 25-34 follow with 16.4 percent. Vaccination data broken down by age range for those from 16 – 65+. No data for children is available as the vaccinations have not yet been approved for those under 15.
From all those who have been vaccinated, 2.5 percent are Hispanic or Latino. Hispanic/Latinx people make up seven percent of the county and are underrepresented in those being vaccinated. Black people, who make up about six percent of the population, only make up 2.6 percent of those who’ve received at least one dose of vaccine. Asian people, who make up 6 percent of the county population, only make up 3 percent of those who have received at least one vaccination. Those who are American Indian/Alaskan Native and are .3 percent of the population are .5 percent of those who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Madison365 has updated our weekly map of COVID-19 cases in the county by census tract.
We will have an update later this afternoon for statewide numbers after 3 pm.
