MILWAUKEE — For the second day in a row, Wisconsin tallied record-breaking COVID-19 numbers.
Wisconsin DHS recorded2,533 confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, the largest counted on a single day since the pandemic began.
Friday's numbers come on the heels ofrecord-shattering COVID-19 numbers the day before. On Thursday, DHS recorded 2,034 cases, the largest single-day count at that time. But that record has since been surpassed on Friday.
The 14-day average of the percent of positive cases also continues to climb. DHS recorded that 15.3 percent of all cases came back positive over the last two weeks, the highest recorded to date.
The percent positive on Friday came in at 19.4 percent, which is the highest in the last several days. That percentage is only topped by last Monday, when the DHS recorded a 19.7 percent positivity rate, and last Sunday, when it recorded a 20.5 percent positivity rate.
Wisconsin health officials place blame for much of the spike on the reopening of schools in the state, especially in universities. The most recent spike began in early September, when schools began to reopen, and has since generally risen each day.
On Friday, the DHS recorded seven new deaths, which raises the total death toll to 1,238 in Wisconsin. Over 6,500 people have been hospitalized due to the coronavirus, including 47 new hospitalizations counted on Friday.
Milwaukee County still leads the state for number of total confirmed cases, followed by Dane, Brown and Waukesha counties.
The department tweeted: "Please take steps to avoid illness & protect your community. Stay home if you can, stay 6' away from others, wash your hands often, and #MaskUpWisconsin."
A 2nd record-setting day for #COVID19_WI cases, as we add 2,500+ to our total. Please take steps to avoid illness & protect your community. Stay home if you can, stay 6' away from others, wash your hands often, and #MaskUpWisconsin. #YouStopTheSpread: https://t.co/azIna3TqRR pic.twitter.com/2KseuvIbwy
— WIDeptHealthServices (@DHSWI) September 18, 2020
