After four consecutive days of declines, the rate of coronavirus tests returning positive results jumped to 7.6 percent — up from 4.8 on Wednesday — as just over 12,000 tests returned 943 positive results, according to Wisconsin state and county public health data. The 943 new cases bring the total case count for Wisconsin to 63,296. Of those, fewer than 8,900 are considered active, about the same as Wednesday.
Seven more fatalities were reported — two in Waukesha County and one each in Grant, Kenosha, Marinette, Walworth and Waupaca Counties — increasing the death toll in Wisconsin to 1,018. Additionally, 18 people who tested positive for coronavirus infection have died of other causes, and are not counted as covid fatalities.
The highest local new case count came in Milwaukee County, with 270 new cases and 15.38 percent of tests coming back positive.
Other localities with higher case totals and positive tests rates include:
Brown County: 39 new cases, 7.56 percent positive tests
Calumet County: 15 new cases, 17.56 percent positive tests
Dane County: 36 new cases, 1.98 percent positive tests
Dodge County: 18 new cases, 11.69 percent positive tests
Eau Claire County: 17 new cases, 17.17 percent positive tests
Fond du Lac County: 12 new cases, 7.84 percent positive tests
Jefferson County: 20 new cases, 19.8 percent positive tests
Kenosha County: 19 new cases, 5.03 percent positive tests
La Crosse County: 13 new cases, 13.54 percent positive tests
Outagamie County: 16 new cases, 6.35 percent positive tests
Ozaukee County: 14 new cases, 11.97 percent positive tests
Racine County: 28 new cases, 2.77 percent positive tests
Rock County: 15 new cases, 6.33 percent positive tests
Sauk County: 12 new cases, 2.78 percent positive tests
Sheboygan County: 18 new cases, 9.38 percent positive tests
St Croix County: 10 new cases, 9.52 percent positive tests
Walworth County: 32 new cases, 27.83 percent positive tests
Waukesha County: 113 new cases, 8.52 percent positive tests
Waupaca County: 14 new cases, 11.86 percent positive tests
Winnebago County: 19 new cases, 4.4 percent positive tests
Wood County: 12 new cases, 10.17 percent positive tests
Also Tuesday, hospitalizations due to coronavirus infection rose to 287, 23 more than Wednesday and 57 more than a week ago. Of those, 113 were in intensive care units, two more than Wednesday.
The rate of disparity in Latino populations has improved but continues to stand out. More than 23 percent of total cases are now Latino people, as well as 11.6 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 21 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 1.6 percent of all covid cases in Wisconsin have died, while 84 percent have recovered and 14 percent remain active.
