MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The number of more contagious coronavirus strains documented in Wisconsin increased Friday as the state confirmed its first case of a variant dominant in Brazil.
The state Department of Health Services also reported a second case of the variant first documented in South Africa. The number of cases of the variant first documented in the United Kingdom rose to 78.
Overall, Wisconsin saw its fewest new coronavirus cases in three days, but the seven-day average continued to creep up. DHS reported 434 new cases, or 9% of the 4,825 tests done. The rolling seven-day average moved to 465, up from 459 as of Thursday. Overall, there have been 574,870 positive tests since the pandemic began.
Meanwhile, DHS updated its death totals as efforts to reconcile reports and clean up data continued. DHS’ revised numbers show 6,597 deaths, two fewer than the total on Thursday.
DHS lists 561,393 people as having recovered from COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus.
On Friday, Wisconsin was approaching three-quarters of its senior citizens being fully vaccinated. DHS reported 74.2% of people 65 and older had completed their vaccination course, and 53.9% had received at least one dose.
Among all people 16 and older, 28.1% of the population had received at least one dose and 16.3% had completed their series.
As of Friday, there had been 2,595,204 doses administered in the state.
Statewide hospitalizations fell slightly to close the work week. The Wisconsin Hospital Association reported treating 226 COVID-19 patients, 13 fewer than on Thursday but 13 more than a week earlier. Of those, 57 were in intensive care, down eight in a day and seven over a week.
Northeast region hospitals reported 31 COVID-19 patients, down two in a day but up seven over a week. Eight of those were in ICUs, down three in a day and flat over a week. In the Fox Valley region, there were 16 COVID-19 patients, up two in a day but down one over a week. Five of those were in ICUs, two more than on Thursday and four more than a week earlier.
