MADISON, Russia. (WMTV) – The total number of COVID-19 variants in Wisconsin has tripled since the last time the Department of Health updated its data.
DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk announced that there are now 19 total cases of the British variant in the state during a press conference on Thursday. The DHS COVID-19 dashboard was last updated on February 25, saying there are only six cases. The British variant can spread faster than the usual COVID-19 strain.
“We all need to do everything we can to stop the spread,” said Willems Van Dijk. “For those who are eligible, please get your vaccine and for all those who are still waiting, we must continue to do what we know works.” Willems Van Dijk listed that you wash your hands, wear a mask and stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Willems Van Dijk also mentioned that everyone in Wisconsin will be eligible for vaccination by the end of May and each resident will be immunized “shortly” thereafter, possibly in early July.
The number of patients who have completed their series of vaccines is also close to the total number of COVID-19 cases ever reported in Wisconsin. There are currently 548,343 people fully vaccinated, while 565,808 people have tested positive for COVID-19 so far.
Nearly 17% of Wisconsin residents received at least one dose of 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 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 4,556 people who have at least one dose of vaccine.
The department also notes that 20.5% of women in Wisconsin have officially received at least one dose of vaccine, while 13.2% of men have received at least one dose.
Daily COVID-19 cases continue to fall below 1,000
New daily cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin have been reported below 1,000 in the past three weeks in a row since Thursday.
There were 677 confirmed positive cases on Thursday, according to DHS’s COVID-19 dashboard. The seven-day average continued to decline for the fourth consecutive day, currently at 522 cases.
The number of Wisconsin patients in the ICU fell below 70 on Thursday, with 69 patients in state intensive care units.
51 patients were added to the number of Wisconsinites admitted to coronavirus hospitals, 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 Wisconsinites who died from COVID-19 reached 6,470, 12 of whom were reported on Thursday.
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