For the first time in months, the state of Wisconsin reports no new deaths from coronavirus infection over the past 24 hours.
Additionally, the percentage of coronavirus tests that came back positive in the past 24 hours fell back down to 6.3 percent — down from 8.3 percent Saturday. The 14-day average — a key measure identified by the State Department of Health Services — is still on a downward trajectory, though slightly higher than it was Saturday.
Wisconsin now has had a total of 12,571 cases, according to Department of Health Services and county public health data, an increase of 203.
The largest increase in new cases today come from Milwaukee County, which reported only 37 cases after five days of triple-digit increases. The outbreak in Brown County seems to remain under control, as 26 more cases were identified and five percent of tests came back positive — down from more than 59 percent a week 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 2,096 in the county. That’s a rate of 807 cases per 100,000 residents — far higher than the second-highest rate, 520.5 in Racine County.
Hotspots in Racine and Kenosha Counties seem to have cooled at least for the day. Racine County reported just 13 new cases as seven percent of tests came back positive. Similarly, Kenosha County reports an additional 18 cases as 12 percent of tests came back positive.
Two days after a spike of 18 cases mostly connected with an assisted living facility, Dane County added another 13 cases connected to that same facility, Public Health Madison Dane County officials said. Dane County has added 27 cases in just three days.
Hospitalizations remain steady: 363 people are currently hospitalized with coronavirus infection, up from 361 yesterday. Of those, 136 require intensive care. Additionally, 182 people are hospitalized awaiting test results.
The rate of disparity in Latino populations continues to stand out — 31 percent of total cases are now Latino people. 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 30 percent of deaths. Black people make up just six percent of the state’s population.
DHS also reports that 53 percent of those confirmed to have been infected have recovered and 3.7 percent have died.
