COVID-19 in Wisconsin: Record daily highs reported Sunday with 20% positivity rate, 1,582 new cases
A record number of new positive COVID-19 cases were reported in the state of Wisconsin Sunday. (Wisconsin Department of Health Services)
(FOX 9) - Twenty percent of COVID-19 test results reported to the state of Wisconsin in the last 24 hours were positive Sunday, leading to the largest single-day case increase to date in the state.
Exactly 1,582 tests returned positive out of 7,735 total tests Sunday in the state of Wisconsin. The 20.5 percent positive rate brings the 7-day average to a high of 14.1 percent positive.
A record high percent positive rate was reported Sunday in the state of Wisconsin. (Wisconsin Department of Health Services)
Both the percent positive rate and the single-day case increase are the highest to date after a week that saw four out of seven days with single-day case increases above 1,000. The 7-day case increase average is 1,141, a new record high.
89,185 Wisconsinities have tested positive for the virus since the beginning of the pandemic. Of those, 77,750 have recovered, 6,332 have been hospitalized and 1,210 have died from COVID-19.
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.