MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin over the weekend were below record levels seen late last week, but the seven-day average continued to climb.
The state Department of Health Services reported 10,379 new cases on Friday, 4,236 on Saturday and 5,257 on Sunday. Those numbers were lower than the revised number of 12,642 cases on Thursday, an all-time record.
The seven-day average coming out of the weekend was 9,063, the highest level Wisconsin has seen during the pandemic.
The state and nation are dealing with a surge in cases related to the omicron variant of the coronavirus, which is more contagious.
Test positivity averaged 27% over the most recent seven-day period.
There were two deaths reported on Sunday. The seven-day average of deaths attributed to COVID-19 was 28. That tied Dec. 23 for the highest level in the past year.
Since the pandemic began, Wisconsin has seen 1,075,971 confirmed cases and 10,334 deaths.
As of Monday, 62.5% of the state’s population had received at least one dose of vaccine, while 58.5% had completed the vaccine series.
Over the most recent seven days, there was an average of 17,637 doses administered per day. Of those, 12,170 were additional or booster doses.
Hospitalizations rose to near record levels. According to the Wisconsin Hospital Association, 2,259 COVID-19 patients were being treated in Wisconsin, 104 more than on Sunday and 356 more than a week earlier. Of those, 472 were in intensive care, nine fewer than on Sunday but 10 more than a week earlier.
Of the 1,353 ICU beds in the state, 4.8% were immediately available.
Northeast region hospitals reported treating 206 COVID-19 patients, down four in a day but up 29 over a week. Of those, 45 were in ICUs, up one in a day but down two over a week. In the Fox Valley region, there were 153 COVID-19 patients, up five in a day and 48 over a week. Twenty-six of those were in ICUs, one fewer than on Sunday but five more than a week earlier.
