The rate of coronavirus tests returning positive results rose slightly to 7.8 percent — up from 7.5 percent on Wednesday — as about 10,500 tests returned 826 positive results, according to Wisconsin state and county public health data. The 826 new cases bring the total case count for Wisconsin to 69,059. Of those, just over 7,600 are considered active, about 500 fewer than Wednesday.
Friday was the first time since Saturday that more than 10,000 tests were processed in Wisconsin.
Additionally, two more fatalities were reported — one in Milwaukee County and one in Outagamie County — and one fatality that had been reported in Oconto County was removed from the data, so the total death toll is now 1,068. Eighteen people who tested positive for coronavirus infection have died of other causes, and are not counted as covid fatalities.
Today’s data brings the seven-day average of new cases to 690, and the 14-day average of new cases to 702. Over the past seven days, the percentage of positive tests has averaged 7.8 percent, and 7.46 percent over the past 14 days.
Wisconsin has averaged six deaths per day over both the past week and the past two weeks, for a total of 72 in the past 14 days.
The highest local new case count came in Milwaukee County, with 182 new cases and 10.38 percent of tests coming back positive.
Other localities with higher case totals and positive tests rates include:
Brown County: 57 new cases, 10.46 percent positive tests
Calumet County: 11 new cases, 16.18 percent positive tests
Dane County: 43 new cases, 4.1 percent positive tests
Dodge County: 11 new cases, 5.42 percent positive tests
Eau Claire County: 12 new cases, 8.16 percent positive tests
Fond du Lac County: 24 new cases, 15.48 percent positive tests
Jefferson County: 36 new cases, 16.44 percent positive tests
Marinette County: 12 new cases, 16.44 percent positive tests
Oconto County: 14 new cases, 19.18 percent positive tests
Outagamie County: 23 new cases, 8.33 percent positive tests
Portage County: 10 new cases, 15.38 percent positive tests
Racine County: 32 new cases, 5.13 percent positive tests
Rock County: 21 new cases, 6.73 percent positive tests
Sauk County: 13 new cases, 15.12 percent positive tests
Sheboygan County: 14 new cases, 10.77 percent positive tests
Walworth County: 27 new cases, 16.98 percent positive tests
Washington County: 46 new cases, 6.81 percent positive tests
Waukesha County: 75 new cases, 9.04 percent positive tests
Winnebago County: 14 new cases, 4.79 percent positive tests
Hospitalizations fell Friday to 350 currently hospitalized with COVID 19, 17 fewer than Thursday but 14 more than a week ago. Of those, 119 are in ICUs.
The rate of disparity in Latino populations has improved but continues to stand out. More than 22 percent of total cases are now Latino people, as well as 13.46 percent of today’s new positive cases. Latinos make up just seven percent of the state’s overall population.
Similarly, 14 percent of all cases are Black people, as are 20 percent of total COVID-19 related deaths in the state. Black people make up just six percent of the state’s population.
The state now reports that two percent of all covid cases in Wisconsin have died, while 85 percent have recovered and 13 percent remain active.
