MADISON, Wisconsin (WMTV) – The total number of variants of COVID-19 in Wisconsin more than tripled on Thursday since the last time the Department of Health Services updated its data.
DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk announced that there are now 19 total cases of the UK variant in the state during a news conference on Thursday. The DHS COVID-19 panel was last updated on February 25, stating that there were only six cases. The UK variant may spread more quickly than the regular strain of COVID-19.
“Each of us must do everything we can to prevent it from spreading,” said Willems Van Dijk. “For those of you who are eligible, please get your vaccine and for all of us who are still waiting, we need to continue doing what we know works.” Willems Van Dijk listed washing hands, wearing a mask and staying at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Willems Van Dijk also noted that everyone in Wisconsin will be eligible to be vaccinated by the end of May and all residents will be immunized “a little longer” after that, possibly in early July.
The number of patients who have completed their vaccine series is also approaching the total number of COVID-19 cases already reported in Wisconsin. There are currently 548,343 people fully vaccinated, while 565,808 people have had positive results for COVID-19 so far.
Nearly 17% of Wisconsin residents received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 9.4% of residents completed their vaccination series.
Green and Sauk County joined the 20% club this week for people who received at least one dose of the vaccine. Other counties included in South Central Wisconsin that have exceeded the 20% threshold are Richland, Iowa and Lafayette. In northern Wisconsin, Menominee County is now at 30% for its 4,556 residents who have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
The department also notes that 20.5% of women in Wisconsin have officially received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 13.2% of men have received at least one dose.
Daily cases of COVID-19 continue to fall below 1,000
New daily cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin have been reported below 1,000 in the past three consecutive weeks since Thursday.
There were 677 confirmed positive cases on Thursday, according to the DHS panel COVID-19. The seven-day moving average continued to decline for the fourth consecutive day, currently with 522 cases.
The number of Wisconsin ICU patients dropped to less than 70 on Thursday, with 69 patients in state intensive care units.
There were 51 patients added to the number of Wisconsinites admitted to hospitals with the coronavirus, out of a total of 267 patients. Compared to last week, there are 88 fewer patients in the hospital this week.
The total number of Wisconsin residents who died of COVID-19 reached 6,470, with 12 of them having been reported on Thursday.
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