Positive test rate continues to rise as nearly 4,600 new cases, 33 deaths reported

The state of Wisconsin confirmed 4,591 new coronavirus cases and 33 deaths on Tuesday. The number shatters the previous record of 3,861 set on Friday, but the Department of Health Services warned that single-day statistics might seem inflated for the next few days, as staff work to clear a backlog of positive cases that built up while the reporting system was offline over the weekend, and that today’s total reflects new cases confirmed over several days.

The DHS website said Tuesday that it’s more useful to look at rolling averages of measures like new cases, deaths and positive test rate, because those are unaffected by which day the results are entered, as long as they’re entered in the same seven-day perioud.

The seven-day average of new cases is now 4,035 — its first time over 4,000 and the highest yet. The seven-day average of deaths is now 24, a jump from 20.3 yesterday. And the seven-day positive test rate is a near-catastrophic 21.7 percent.

Of the 33 deaths reported, there were six in Shawano County; five in Marathon County; three in Waupaca County; two each in Winnebago, Outagamie, Eau Claire and Grant Counties; and one each in Milwaukee, Brown, Rock, Racine, Washington, Chippewa, Calumet, Oconto, Langlade, Kewaunee and Marinette Counties.

The total death toll is now 1,633.

The highest local new case count came in Milwaukee County with 824.

Other counties’ new case counts are below.