The percentage of coronavirus tests that came back positive in the past 24 hours rose to 6.37 percent — up just slightly from 6.25 percent but the average over the past 14 days is still on a downward trajectory.
However, Milwaukee County reported an additional 144 new cases after the state posted the positive test rate – the third consecutive triple-digit increase for the state’s largest county – which could continue to increase the case rate that’s reported tomorrow.
Wisconsin now has had a total of 11,373 cases, according to Department of Health Services and county public health data — an increase of 349.
The latest increase comes as the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the Governor Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” order, allowing businesses to reopen without restriction throughout much of Wisconsin. Some local counties and cities enacted their own orders, however.
Overall since the crisis began, 8.42 percent of all tests have come back positive. That’s slightly lower than it was yesterday, when it was 8.5 percent.
The largest increase in new cases today come from Milwaukee County, which increased by 144. The outbreak in Brown County seems to have slowed down, as just 17 more cases were identified and four percent of tests came back positive — down from more than 59 percent just a few days ago. An outbreak at a meat packing plant in Green Bay has significantly increased the number of positive cases in Brown County, which have now reached 1,982 in the county. That’s a rate of 770 cases per 100,000 residents — far higher than the second-highest rate, 449 in Milwaukee County.
However, other hotspot counties have shown no sign of cooling down. Racine County, which increased by 48 as 19 percent of tests came back positive. Similarly, Kenosha County reports an additional 26 cases as 22 percent of cases came back positive.
The statewide death toll is now 434, with 13 more fatalities since Wednesday afternoon.
The rate of disparity in Latino populations continues to stand out — 31 percent of total cases are now Latino people, and 42 percent of the new cases identified today. Latinos make up just seven percent of the state’s overall population.
Similarly, 21 percent of all cases are Black people, who also make up just under 29 percent of deaths. Black people make up just six percent of the state’s population.
DHS also reports that 51 percent of those confirmed to have been infected have recovered and four percent have died.
