New COVID-19 cases continue to plummet to lows Wisconsin hasn't seen since late October.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reportsa 7-day average number of daily cases of 4,209 on Monday, the lowest the average has been since Oct. 29.
While the number of cases DHS processes on Sunday and Monday always are lower than average, the decline in new cases has continued every day since reaching a peak of 6,563 weekly average cases on Nov. 18.
On average, the number of deaths caused by the coronavirus also continues to decline. DHS reports six new deaths Monday, and a weekly average number of daily deaths of 43. Besides jumping slightly on Sunday, the average number of COVID-related deaths has declined since Nov. 25. At least 3,313 people have died from complications caused by the virus since the pandemic began in Wisconsin.
However, the two metrics the DHS uses to track percent positivity have in the meantime increased. Since Nov. 11, both the 7-day percent positive (by person) and 7-day percent positive (by test) have decreased every day - until Thanksgiving. By person positivity jumped to 28.1 percent on Saturday, and to 28.7 percent on Sunday. By test positivity followed a similar increase.
Today's #COVID19_WI update has 1,800+ Wisconsinites hospitalized right now because of this virus. Nearly 1 in 4 of them is in an ICU. Hospitals across our state report 16% of beds available. Please help hospitals & health care workers, and #StopTheSpread: https://t.co/bttprXAVBL pic.twitter.com/T7umzn8CIO
— WIDeptHealthServices (@DHSWI) November 30, 2020
But according to officials, Wisconsin is not out of the woods yet. DHS tweeted Monday that nearly one in four hospitalized Wisconsin residents is in the ICU. Hospitals across the state report to the DHS that 16 percent of their beds are available.
Gov. Tony Evers and health officials have warned residents to keep holiday festivities to just members of your household and avoid travel over Thanksgiving. It remains to be seen if Wisconsin residents took their pleas seriously. Schools are also wary of students bringing the virus back with them after the holiday break.
On Monday, the DHS further reported 68,774 active cases and 96 new hospitalizations due to the coronavirus. Over 315,000 people have recovered from COVID-19 in the state.