State reports 539 cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths
Wisconsin health officials reported 539 new cases of coronavirus Saturday, the highest number of cases reported since May 29.
Those 539 positive cases accounted for 5.9% of the 9,904 tests processed since Friday, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. As of Saturday, 27,286 Wisconsinites had tested positive for COVID-19.
The state health department also reported 11 more people died from the virus. The state’s total number of deaths stood at 777.
Saturday’s percent of positive cases is the highest since May 23. The percent of positive cases had been relatively flat until it ticked upward about a week ago.
The biggest spike in positive cases this week has been among Wisconsinites in their 20s.
That age group makes up 22% of all COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, the most of any age group, and 39% of Saturday’s new cases.
As of Saturday, 4,899 active known COVID-19 cases existed in Wisconsin, or 18% of all confirmed cases. More than 21,600 people, or 79%, had recovered and the remaining 3% of people had died, according to the state health department.
There were 248 patients in Wisconsin hospitals Saturday morning who had tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Of those patients, 92 were in intensive care. An additional 144 patients were awaiting the result of a COVID-19 test.
On Wednesday, Wisconsin’s coronavirus activity level received a weekly rating from the state health department as “high,” based on total newly reported cases and the recent trend in new cases.
County ratings as of Wednesday were as follows:
High: Brown, Clark, Dane, Eau Claire, Grant, Jefferson, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marathon, Milwaukee, Monroe, Outagamie, Portage, Racine, Rock, Trempealeau, Walworth, Waukesha, Waupaca and Winnebago.
Medium: Adams, Barron, Calumet, Chippewa, Columbia, Crawford, Dodge, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Juneau, Kewaunee, Langlade, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Oneida, Ozaukee, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, St. Croix, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, Taylor, Vernon, Washington, Waushara and Wood.
Low: Ashland, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Iron, Lincoln, Pepin, Price, Richland, Sawyer, Vilas and Washburn.
Contact Natalie Brophy at (715) 2165452 or nbrophy@gannett.com.