MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — New coronavirus cases in Wisconsin topped 1,000 again on Thursday after five days of numbers below that level.
The state Department of Health Services reported 1,059 new cases, the second-highest single-day total ever reported in Wisconsin. There were also 16,211 negative tests. The 6.1% positive rate was slightly up from Wednesday’s 5.9%.
Gov. Tony Evers cited the recent surge in cases as justification for his statewide mask order announced on Thursday.
Another eight people have died, bringing the overall total to 919.
Since the pandemic began, Wisconsin has recorded 52,108 total cases and 867,602 negative tests.
DHS considers 41,319 people to have recovered from COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus.
DHS said 295 patients in Wisconsin hospitals on Thursday had tested positive for coronavirus, with 101 of those in intensive care units. Another 122 were waiting for their test results.
There were 1,992 ventilators in state hospitals, with 314 in use.
Of the 11,492 hospital beds, 2,153 were available.
DHS and the Wisconsin Hospitals Association caution that adjustments to hospital data are being made to meet changes recently mandated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
