COVID-19 in Wisconsin: State surpasses 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases
Wisconsin's Department of Health Services says more than 2,034 new cases were reported Thursday, the highest total of the pandemic. (Photo by Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)
(FOX 9) - On Sunday, Wisconsin has surpassed an unwanted milestone in its battle with COVID-19: 100,000 confirmed cases.
The 1,665 new cases reported on Sunday pushed Wisconsin to a total of 101,227 cases since the start of the pandemic. Only one death was reported for the day, bringing that total to 1,242.
The milestone comes as Wisconsin has seen a spike in new cases. Over the last four days, the state has seen its four highest single-day totals for new COVID-19 cases with Friday setting the highest single-day total of 2,533.
Between Thursday and Saturday, Wisconsin reported three straight days with more than 2,000 cases. Until this week, Wisconsin had never reported more than 2,000 new cases in a single day and the highest previous total had been 1,582.
The growth in cases has been driven by people between the ages of 18 and 24, the data shows. It also comes as the state has increased its capacity for testing, setting records for tests performed in a single day on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
While cases spike in the state, hospitalizations have remained mostly flat and have even trended down in recent weeks in the Southeast region of the state which includes Milwaukee.
Since the start of the pandemic, 85,824 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have recovered, just under 85 percent of the more than 100,000 confirmed cases. 14,143 cases of the disease remain active.
COVID-19 infections can often go undetected and be asymptomatic, laboratory-confirmed tests only represent a fraction of actual COVID-19 cases. A study from the Journal of the American Medical Association estimated that actual cases in some instances were six to 24 times greater than reported cases.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced an indoor mask mandate for people over the age of 5. Face coverings while indoors except at a private residence are required as of Saturday, Aug. 1.
Evers extended the state's stay-at-home order until May 26, but on May 13, the state Supreme Court blocked the extension, effectively opening all establishments in the state. Hours later, images emerged of packed bars across the state, leading the Governor to call his state "The Wild West." Evers' original "Safer at Home" order went into effect on March 25.
On April 4, President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Wisconsin due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This declaration allows for federal funding to be allocated to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations that were impacted by the virus.
If you have questions or immediate needs related to COVID-19, you can Text COVID19 to 211-211, visit 211Wisconsin.org or call 211. Call volumes are high, so officials are asking people to be patient and try to use the text or online options first.
If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of COVID-19, health officials advise you to call your health care provider.