| Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
In the latest record-breaking day of the growing coronavirus crisis in Wisconsin, more than 700 new cases have been reported in the state and more than 10,000 active cases have been reported.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported 7,711 new cases and deaths, with the death toll rising to 5,103, as voters cast ballots in Tuesday’s decisive election.
The previous record, about 5,200, was set on Saturday for new cases reported in one day. Last week, no more than 5,000,000 cases were reported in a single day in the state.
Tuesday’s count brings the average daily new cases to a new high of 436 of the last seven days, six times higher than the seven-day average recorded two months ago as cases began to grow in the state.
The average positivity rate setting a new record on Tuesday was 30.8%. The move sees positive tests for the first time in the last seven days. Two months ago, the average positivity rate was 5.2%.
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The outbreak of cases since early September has led to an increase in hospital admissions and deaths due to the virus, and health experts expect the situation to show no signs of slowing down.
The average daily mortality in the last seven days is 36. Two months ago, it was five.
Menomini County reported its first death from the virus Tuesday, Pepin County, southwest of Au Clare, the last county in Wisconsin to have no coronavirus deaths.
Hospital capacity is in short supply as the beds are filled with COVID-19 patients, and hospitals across the state are reporting severe staff shortages as health care workers exposed to the community virus are forced to sit at home for disposal.
As of Tuesday, a record 1,714 people in the state had been hospitalized with the virus, including 347 patients in intensive care units. The number of patients actively hospitalized in Wisconsin has risen to nearly 330 in the past week.
Seven patients were being treated Tuesday at Field Hospital Spital in State Fair Park, up from 13 the day before, according to the state. Known as an alternative care facility, it is designed to free up bed space in hospitals and treat coronavirus patients who need lower levels of hospital care.
And 30 minutes after the coronavirus testing site at Miller Park opened on Tuesday, people are being told to wait 2.5 hours. The site has seen long lines since opening last week, and on Tuesday it was the only city-operated, non-testing fee test site open since the Northwest and Southside Health Centers closed for the election.
The state epidemic was the worst last month, when one of the W0 Wisconsinites tested positive for COVID-19 on October 60. About 33% of Wisconsin residents who died with Covid-19 did so in October.
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More than 2.1 million people have been tested for the virus across the state. Of the 238,067 Wisconsinites who tested positive:
- H 77..8% or 185,241, D.H.S. Are “recovered” by the standards, i.e. there is documentary evidence that their symptoms have been resolved or 30 days after their diagnosis.
- 21.3% or 50,689, considered “active”, meaning they have not recovered and have not died.
