MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – More than 7,000 people in Wisconsin have died from coronavirus infections.
The state Department of Health Services reported five new deaths on Wednesday linked to COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. That pushed the total to 7,003 since the pandemic began.
The seven-day average of deaths held steady from Tuesday’s level of four deaths per day.
More than three-quarters of the people who died were 70 or older, according to DHS data. As of Wednesday, people in their 80s accounted for 31.3% of the deaths, people in their 70s 25.1% and people 90 and older 21.4%. People in their 60s made up 13.7% of deaths, people in their 50s 5.5% and people in their 40s 1.9%. All other age groups made up less than 1% of the total deaths. Three people between the ages of 10 and 19 had died, and no children under the age of 10 had died.
The grim milestone came as pandemic numbers showed signs of waning in recent weeks. DHS reported 330 new positive COVID-19 tests on Wednesday, or 9.2% of the 3,594 people tested. The seven-day average of positives fell to 307, its lowest level since June 23, 2020.
As of Wednesday, 5,087,871 doses of vaccine had been administered in the state, with 47.2% of the population having received at least one dose and 41.3% having completed their vaccine series.
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As of Wednesday, DHS considered 596,339 of the 609,289 people who tested positive to have recovered from COVID-19.
Hospitalization numbers declined slightly on Wednesday. The Wisconsin Hospital Association reported treating 221 COVID-19 patients, four fewer than on Tuesday and 64 fewer than a week earlier. Of those, 69 were in intensive care, down six in a day and 10 over the course of a week.
In the Northeast region, there were 20 COVID-19 patients, down one in a day and 10 over a week. Six of those were in ICUs, down one in a day and half the total of a week earlier. Fox Valley region hospitals had 15 COVID-19 patients, down one in a day but up two over a week. One of those was in an ICU, three fewer than on Tuesday but one more than a week earlier.
