The rate of coronavirus tests returning positive results rose slightly to 7.5 percent — up from seven percent on Wednesday — as about 9,800 tests returned 740 positive results, according to Wisconsin state and county public health data. The 740 new cases bring the total case count for Wisconsin to 68,223. Of those, just under 8,100 are considered active, about 50 fewer than Wednesday.
Thursday is the fifth consecutive day in which fewer than 10,000 tests were processed in Wisconsin.
Additionally, seven more fatalities were reported, spread across the state — one each in Brown, Langlage, Marathon, Oconto, Racine, Washington and Waukesha Counties — bringing the total death toll to 1,067. 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 718, and the 14-day average of new cases to 728. Over the past seven days, the percentage of positive tests has averaged 8.1 percent, and 7.54 percent over the past 14 days.
Wisconsin has averaged seven deaths per day over the past week and six per day over the past two weeks, for a total of 77 in the past 14 days.
The highest local new case count came in Milwaukee County, with 222 new cases and 13.5 percent of tests coming back positive.
Other localities with higher case totals and positive tests rates include:
Brown County: 26 new cases, 11.82 percent positive tests
Dane County: 31 new cases, 2.49 percent positive tests
Dodge County: 15 new cases, 12.6 percent positive tests
Fond du Lac County: 29 new cases, 15.85 percent positive tests
Jefferson County: 17 new cases, 11.89 percent positive tests
Kenosha County: 30 new cases, 90.91 percent positive tests
La Crosse County: 21 new cases, 7.47 percent positive tests
Outagamie County: 30 new cases, 8.33 percent positive tests
Racine County: 17 new cases, 3.35 percent positive tests
Rock County: 12 new cases, 3.45 percent positive tests
Sauk County: 10 new cases, 5.92 percent positive tests
Sheboygan County: 10 new cases, 12.05 percent positive tests
Walworth County: 12 new cases, 12.12 percent positive tests
Washington County: 37 new cases, 7.01 percent positive tests
Waukesha County: 65 new cases, 6.4 percent positive tests
Winnebago County: 12 new cases, 26.67 percent positive tests
Wood County: 10 new cases, 7.52 percent positive tests
Hospitalization data were not updated Thursday.
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 16.1 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.
