In another positive sign that the state may soon inch toward easing restrictions on businesses and individuals, the rate of positive infections dropped to just 5.69 percent — meaning fewer than one in 16 tests conducted in the past 24 hours came back positive — the fourth consecutive daily decline, and the lowest rate in over a week.
The number of tests also increased to over 5,500 for the first time – more than 1,000 more tests than Wednesday.
Governor Tony Evers’ “Badger Bounce Back” plan requires a 14-day decline in that measure, along with other indicators, before more businesses are allowed to open and groups can begin to gather.
Wisconsin now has had a total of 9,330 cases, according to Department of Health Services and county public health data — an increase of 374.
Overall since the crisis began, 9.01 percent of all tests have come back positive. That’s slightly lower than it was yesterday, when it was 9.2 percent.
The largest increase in new cases today come from Milwaukee County, which increased by 141 — a 12.58 percent positive test rate. 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 1,706 in the county — an increase of 53.
Other counties with marked increases include Racine County, which increased by 31 cases as 14 percent of tests came back positive; Kenosha County, which increased by 30 as 12 percent of tests were positive; and Crawford County, which increased from 7 to 16 cases with 60 percent of tests coming back positive.
The statewide death toll is now 374, with 12 more fatalities since Tuesday afternoon.
The same number of people is hospitalized today as yesterday — 299, with 107 in intensive care. Additionally, 212 are hospitalized awaiting test results.
The rate of disparity in Latino populations continues to rise — 28.5 percent of total cases are now Latino people, and 51 percent of the new cases identified today. Latinos make up just 7 percent of the state’s overall population.
DHS also reports that 47 percent of those confirmed to have been infected have recovered and just over four percent have died.