MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The seven-day average of new coronavirus cases in Wisconsin fell below 2,000 on Tuesday as testing rates remained low.
The state Department of Health Services reported 1,525 new cases, or 30% of the 5,081 tests completed. There were 42 new deaths, with the death rate increasing to 1.1% of all people confirmed to be infected.
The seven-day average of new cases stood at 1,895 on Tuesday. That number briefly dropped below 2,000 between Christmas and New Year’s Day when fewer tests were done. Before that, the seven-day average had not been below 2,000 since Sept. 25.
The seven-day average of test positivity was 23.9%, its lowest level since Oct. 15. Also over the past week, an average of 43 people have died every day.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 524,402 confirmed cases, more than 2.4 million negative tests and 5,512 deaths. DHS considers 494,029 people to have recovered from COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus.
While numbers have declined since mid-November and vaccines are about to be opened to those 65 and older, health experts say virus spread remains very high in Wisconsin, and people should not let their guard down.
As of Tuesday, 248,185 doses of vaccines had been administered in Wisconsin. The state’s allocation from the federal government was 779,800, with 473,300 having been ordered and 100,100 in transit to providers.
Overall hospitalization numbers were expected to be updated later in the afternoon.
