Zero COVID-19 deaths reported in Wisconsin Sunday as other key metrics show decreases
(FOX 9) - The state of Wisconsin showed decreases in telling COVID-19 metrics over the last week, culminating in the state reporting zero new deaths Sunday.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the 7-day averages in both test positivity rate and daily case increase both declined over the course of the last week.
One week ago, the state of Wisconsin reported that more than 35 percent of COVID-19 tests in the state returned positive on average over the last seven days. Sunday, the state showed that rate was down to 29.7 percent. Additionally, 6,422 was the 7-day case increase average one week ago, down to 6,043 Sunday.
The 7-day death increase average remained high over the last week. Sunday's average of 53 is one of the highest of the pandemic. However, the state of Wisconsin was proud to report zero new deaths Sunday in their daily totals.
The state says 87 percent of hospital beds for COVID-19 patients are full as of Sunday, leaving open 1,463 beds. 21 percent of occupied COVID-19 beds are ICU patients, or 441 total patients.
BY THE NUMBERS: Breaking down Wisconsin's exponential 2-month COVID-19 surge
The current COVID-19 spike in Wisconsin is larger than the spike New York City endured at the beginning of the pandemic, state health officials say. In a release, DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk compared the current spike to that of New York City in spring.
“To put these new data in perspective, Wisconsin is now seeing more average cases per day than New York City did at the peak of its surge last spring,” Van Dijk said.
The pandemic so far
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 until November 21. 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.