Wisconsin reports 22 more COVID-19 deaths, 599 new cases – WBAY

MADISON, Wis. (WBAY) – Wisconsin saw its coronavirus reporting numbers rise in every category Wednesday, for better and for worse.

The state reported 22 more COVID-19 patients’ deaths since its report Tuesday afternoon. The state never reported so many COVID-19 deaths in one day. That brings the state’s death toll to 539.

After days of declining new case numbers, the state identified 599 more patients with the coronavirus, bringing the state’s total to 16,462 cases since early February. That also is the largest one-day increase in the state’s reporting, and only the third time the state identified more than 500 patients in a day.

Milwaukee and Racine counties accounted for the bulk of new patients identified, with 231 and 184 new cases, respectively, but half of Wisconsin’s 72 counties saw new, positive test results since Tuesday (county-by-county numbers are listed below).

That may be attributed to increased testing. Positive results were 5.8% of the 10,330 test results. That’s the first time the state received more than 10,000 test results in a 24-hour period. After days of decline, that was a jump of 2.2 percentage points from Tuesday but is still in line with the percentage of positive results over the past month.

The state’s public and private lab partners are capable of processing more than 14,000 coronavirus tests daily.

The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 also saw a sharp rise, with 49 more patients admitted since Tuesday’s report. There are now 419 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, including 139 in intensive care.

A total 2,411 of the state’s coronavirus patients, or 15%, were hospitalized at some point during their treatment.

Sixty-percent of identified coronavirus patients are now considered recovered — another increase from Tuesday. “Recovered” is defined as surviving 30 days since they started showing symptoms or tested positive, or their absence of symptoms or release from isolation is medically documented.

Eleven percent of people identified as being infected with the coronavirus — the virus that causes COVID-19 — are health care workers.

Five-percent of cases are people living in long-term care facilities.

County case numbers
Counties with increased cases and/or deaths are indicated in bold.

Wisconsin
Adams – 4 cases (1 death)
Ashland – 2 cases
Barron – 12 cases (+2)
Bayfield – 3 cases (1 death)
Brown – 2,285 cases (+36) (33 deaths) (+1)
Buffalo – 5 cases (1 death)
Burnett – 1 cases (1 death)
Calumet – 74 cases (+1) (1 death)
Chippewa – 54 cases
Clark – 29 cases (+1) (4 deaths)
Columbia – 40 cases (+2) (1 death)
Crawford – 26 cases
Dane – 652 cases (+22) (27 deaths) (+1)
Dodge – 166 cases (+4) (1 death)
Door – 38 cases (3 deaths)
Douglas – 19 cases
Dunn – 24 cases (+1)
Eau Claire – 99 cases
Florence – 2 case
Fond du Lac – 185 cases (+4) (4 deaths)
Forest – 24 cases (+12)
Grant – 89 cases (+2) (12 deaths)
Green – 58 cases (+3)
Green Lake – 16 cases (+1)
Iowa – 12 cases
Iron – 2 cases (1 death)
Jackson – 14 cases (1 death)
Jefferson – 92 cases (+2) (3 deaths)
Juneau – 22 cases (1 death)
Kenosha – 1,033 cases (+25) (24 deaths) (+2)
Kewaunee – 33 cases (1 death)
La Crosse – 51 cases
Lafayette – 25 cases
Langlade – 2 cases
Lincoln – 5 cases
Manitowoc – 32 cases (+1) (1 death)
Marathon – 43 cases (+1) (1 death)
Marinette – 32 cases (2 deaths)
Marquette – 3 cases (1 death)
Menominee – 3 cases
Milwaukee – 6,748 cases (+231) (282 deaths) (+6)
Monroe – 16 cases (1 death)
Oconto – 35 cases (+1)
Oneida – 8 cases (+1)
Outagamie – 198 cases (+2) (8 deaths) (+1)
Ozaukee – 144 cases (+6) (11 deaths)
Pepin – 1 case
Pierce – 43 cases
Polk – 17 cases (+1) (1 death)
Portage – 10 cases
Price – 2 cases
Racine – 1,579 cases (+184) (28 deaths) (+3)
Richland – 14 cases (4 deaths)
Rock – 588 cases (+5) (18 deaths) (+2)
Rusk – 5 cases (+1)
Sauk – 78 cases (+1) (3 deaths)
Sawyer – 7 cases
Shawano – 41 cases (+3)
Sheboygan – 83 cases (3 deaths)
St. Croix – 71 cases (+1)
Taylor – 1 case
Trempealeau – 22 cases (+1)
Vernon – 19 cases (+2)
Vilas – 6 cases
Walworth – 363 cases (+12) (16 deaths) (+3)
Washburn – 2 cases
Washington – 212 cases (+3) (4 deaths)
Waukesha – 593 cases (+15) (28 deaths) (+2)
Waupaca – 27 cases (+1) (1 death)
Waushara – 8 cases
Winnebago – 199 cases (+8) (3 deaths) (+2)
Wood – 9 cases (1 death)

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Alger – 0 cases
Baraga – 1 case
Chippewa – 2 case
Delta – 17 cases (2 deaths)
Dickinson – 5 cases (2 deaths)
Gogebic – 5 cases (1 death)
Houghton – 4 cases (+2)
Iron – 0 cases
Keweenaw – 0 cases
Luce – 3 cases
Mackinac – 6 cases
Marquette – 54 cases (10 deaths)
Menominee – 8 cases
Ontonagon – 0 cases
Schoolcraft – 4 cases

Symptoms
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified these as possible symptoms of COVID-19:

• Fever of 100.4 or higher
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

Symptoms that require immediate medical attention include:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to rouse
• Bluish lips or face

The CDC says this is not an all-inclusive list. Consult a medical provider about any symptoms that are severe or concerning.

Prevention
The coronavirus is a new, or “novel,” virus. Nobody has a natural immunity to it. Children and teens seem to recover best from the virus. Older people and those with underlying health conditions (heart disease, diabetes, lung disease) are considered at high risk, according to the CDC. Precautions are also needed around people with developing or weakened immune systems.

To help prevent the spread of the virus:

• Stay at least six feet away from other people
• Avoid close contact with people who are or appear sick
• Stay at home as much as possible. Cancel events and avoid groups, gatherings, play dates and nonessential appointments
• Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care
• Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
• Cover your mouth and nose with a mask. At a minimum, use a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
• Clean frequently-touched surfaces and objects daily (e.g., tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, and cabinet handles).