MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Wisconsin COVID-19 case numbers reached more unprecedented highs over the weekend as the spread of the coronavirus’ omicron variant continued.
The seven-day average of new cases reached 17,916, an all-time high, the Department of Health Services reported Monday.
Sunday’s new case total was listed as 35,746, though DHS warned that number could be artificially high with a backlog of reports from local health departments being logged through a new process.
Test positivity averaged 27.8% over the most recent seven-day period.
No new deaths were reported on Sunday, with the seven-day average standing at 24.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 1,210,198 total cases and 10,540 deaths.
As of Monday, 62.8% of the state’s population had received at least one dose of vaccine and 58.8% had completed the vaccine series.
The latest seven-day average of vaccine doses administered was 14,573, of which 9,534 were additional or booster doses.
Hospitalizations increased on Monday. The Wisconsin Hospital Association reported treating 2,247 COVID-19 patients, 28 more than on Sunday but 12 fewer than a week earlier. Of those, 452 were in intensive care, down 32 in a day and 20 over a week.
Of the 1,353 ICU beds in Wisconsin, 5.8% were immediately available.
Northeast region hospitals had 221 COVID-19 patients, eight more than on Sunday and 15 more than a week earlier. Of those, 42 were in ICUs, down three over both a day and a week. In the Fox Valley region, there were 165 COVID-19 patients, up one in a day and 12 over a week. Thirty-one of those were in ICUs, up two in a day and five over a week.
