COVID-19 in Wisconsin: Test positivity rate reaches lowest point in 4 months
(Wisconsin Department of Health Services)
(FOX 9) - A key metric measuring the rate of positive COVID-19 tests in the state of Wisconsin dipped below 20 percent Wednesday.
At 19.3 percent, the 7-day test positivity average reached its lowest point since Oct. 9, 2020.
As the positivity average continues its decline, so does the 7-day case increase average. At 1,517, the rate was its lowest since Sept. 18.
The 7-day death increase average was 32 Wednesday, showing a slight decrease over the last week.
In hospitals, 80 percent of COVID-19 beds are full, leaving 2,139 open. 21 percent of hospitalizations were ICU patients.
The pandemic so far
The state of Wisconsin said it has discovered a COVID-19 variant in a patient. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the strain, referred to as B.1.1.7, was identified in a Wisconsin patient Jan. 12.
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, which he extended. Face coverings while indoors except at a private residence have been required since 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. In October, a judge did however allow Evers' mask mandate to remain in effect.
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.
For more information, go to the state health department's website.
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.