UPDATE: The Wisconsin Department of Health Services now says today’s high case count is due in part to a data reporting problem that led to a backlog early in the week, and that some portion of the new cases should have been reported Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. This does not seem to have affected the positive test rate, nor the seven-day average of cases or positive test rate, which are listed below.
Wisconsin confirmed a record-setting 1,498 coronavirus cases and seven more deaths on Friday. The previous high was 1,165 cases on August 8.
The Department of Health Services reports a new total for the state of 79,384 cases since the pandemic began. The rate of coronavirus tests returning positive rose to 12.8 percent today, up from yesterday’s 7.9 percent. Of the 79,384 cases, over 7,900 are considered active, about 600 more than yesterday.
Additionally, seven reported deaths today brought the state’s total to 1,153 and were spread throughout the state. Two deaths were reported in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties and one each in Green, Portage and Rock Counties. 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 768 and the 14-day average to 719. Over the past seven days, the percentage of positive tests has averaged 9.0 percent, up one full point from yesterday, and 8.5 over the past 14 days.
Wisconsin has averaged six deaths per day over the past week and 5.6 per day over the past two weeks.
The highest local new case count came in Milwaukee County, with 221 new cases and 9.1 percent of tests coming back positive.
Other localities with higher case totals and positive tests rates include:
Adams County: 10 new cases, 32.23 percent positive tests
Brown County: 139 new cases, 19.91 percent positive tests
Calumet County: 22 new cases, 24.44 percent positive tests
Dane County: 160 new cases, 18.22 percent positive tests
Dodge County: 24 new cases, 11.48 percent positive tests
Eau Claire County: 22 new cases, 36.07 percent positive tests
Fond du Lac County: 24 new cases, 8.89 percent positive tests
Forest County: 11 new cases, 55 percent positive tests
Jefferson County: 17 new cases, 18.48 percent positive tests
Kenosha County: 11 new cases, 4.55 percent positive tests
La Crosse County: 47 new cases, 46.08 percent positive tests
Manitowoc County: 19 new cases, 12.84 percent positive tests
Marathon County: 13 new cases, 9.35 percent positive tests
Outagamie County: 123 new cases, 20.99 percent positive tests
Ozaukee County: 33 new cases, 26.19 percent positive tests
Portage County: 19 new cases, 22.98 percent positive tests
Racine County: 66 new cases, 9.18 percent positive tests
Rock County: 28 new cases, 8.31 percent positive tests
Sheboygan County: 38 new cases, 25.17 percent positive tests
Walworth County: 33 new cases, 14.67 percent positive tests
Washington County: 49 new cases, 29.52 percent positive tests
Waukesha County: 74 new cases, 10.66 percent positive tests
Waupaca County: 30 new cases, 30.93 percent positive tests
Waushara County: 11 new cases, 22.92 percent positive tests
Winnebago County: 48 new cases, 7.97 percent positive tests
Wood County: 17 new cases, 1.29 percent positive tests
Hospitalizations rose slightly to 293 currently hospitalized at the time of this reporting with COVID 19, six more than Thursday and two more than a week ago. Of those, 104 are in ICUs, 13 more that Thursday.
