The average number of COVID-19 cases continue to fall in Wisconsin, but health officials are still urging residents to stay on the safe side, as the numbers indicate there remains significant community spread.
The Department of Health Services reporteda seven-day average number of 3,664 cases Wednesday, the lowest that number has been since Oct. 23. The average has decreased almost every day since reaching a high of over 6,500 on Nov. 18.
Hospitalizations and active cases are also dropping, with the DHS reporting 1,780 active hospitalizations and 65,926 active cases on Wednesday.
But the good news appears to end there. The DHS reported 82 new deaths caused by the coronavirus Wednesday, raising the 7-day average number of deaths to 46. The average number of deaths fell each day between Nov. 25 and Nov. 28. But since then, the number of new deaths have been increasing.
The two metrics the DHS uses to track percent positivity also are climbing. The department reported a seven-day percent positive (by person) of 41 Wednesday, and a seven-day percent positive (by test) of 13.8. The percent positivity declined from Nov. 11 until Nov. 26, when the percent began to rise again.
:: Wednesday numbers.
— Steve Chamraz (@TMJ4Steve) December 2, 2020
Active cases drops again to 65,926.
Hospitalizations down to 1,780.
325,587 have recovered.
Another 82 people have died, making the total 3,502. pic.twitter.com/xpF3ZITJUF
The DHS warnedon Twitter that "you may have noticed a downward trend in new cases. That doesn't mean we are out of the woods yet."
The department cites the seven-day average number of new coronavirus cases as evidence of "significant community spread."