MADISON, WI (WTAQ) – COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin have dropped to their lowest level in five months.
The state Department of Health Services reported 1,602 new confirmed cases on Tuesday. The seven-day average fell to 1,629, its lowest since Sept. 12.
The decline in new cases has been cited in the ending of many face mask mandates, including decisions Wednesday by the University of Wisconsin System and city of Neenah. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, continues to recommend face masks in public indoor locations, with all of Wisconsin listed in the “high” category for virus transmission. DHS, which uses a different scale, put only one county in the “critically high” category, with the other 71 Wisconsin counties in the next lowest category, “very high.”
Test positivity averaged 8.9% over the most recent seven-day period, its lowest level since Nov. 3.
With 14 new deaths on Tuesday, the seven-day average fell to 12, its lowest level since Nov. 2.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 1,371,694 confirmed cases and 11,654 deaths.
As of Wednesday, 63.8% of state residents had received at least one dose of vaccine, and 60.1% had completed the vaccine series.
The rolling seven-day average number of doses administered was 5,397, of which 2,591 were additional or booster doses.
Hospitalizations also continued their downward trend. The Wisconsin Hospital Association reported treating 814 COVID-19 patients, 28 fewer than on Tuesday and 323 fewer than a week earlier. Of those, 161 were in intensive care, down four in a day and 59 over a week.
Northeast region hospitals reported fewer than 100 COVID-19 patients for the first time since Sept. 20. Wednesday’s 98 were five fewer than on Tuesday and 60 fewer than a week earlier. The ICU count actually increased by one from Tuesday to 21, but that was 11 fewer than a week earlier.
In the Fox Valley region, there were 46 COVID-19 patients, down seven in a day and 38 over a week. Ten of those were in ICUs, down one in a day and seven over a week.
