For 2nd time in 3 days, Wisconsin hits single-day high for new COVID-19 cases

Wisconsin's COVID-19 case spike continued Thursday with the largest single-day case increase of the pandemic. (Wisconsin Department of Health Services)

For the second time in three days, Wisconsin has broken a single-day record for new reported COVID-19 cases.

Saturday, the state recorded 2,892 new cases -- five more than the number reported on Thursday which was a new single-day high.

The state also reported 19 new deaths, which put the seven-day average at 13 -- the highest level since early June. On Wednesday, the state set a single-day record for new COVID-19 deaths with 27 in one day.

A total of 130,798 COVID-19 cases have been reported since the beginning of the pandemic in Wisconsin. 7,588 of them have required hospitalization and 105,373 have recovered from the virus.

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 Sept. 22.  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.