Wisconsin sets new records for COVID-19 cases, deaths, hospitalizations

Wisconsin reported the largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases and deaths on Tuesday. And the state’s hospitals saw record volumes of COVID-19 patients.

There were 5,262 new COVID-19 cases, for a total of 206,311.

The state’s death toll was at 1,852, after 64 more deaths were reported.

According to the Wisconsin Hospital Association, there were 1,385 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the state, an increase of 35 from Monday and up 193 from the same point last week.

There were 339 patients in intensive care units, a new record. That was up 10 from Monday and 24 from last week.

Dr. Ryan Westergaard, chief medical officer for the DHS Bureau of Communicable Diseases, told reporters Tuesday that the state is in a “disturbing scenario.”

“The trajectory – 100,000 cases in 36 days and an environment where we still think that the large majority of people have not been exposed to the virus – it’s a nightmare situation frankly,” Westergaard told reporters Tuesday. “This could get quite a bit worse in the next several weeks or months before it gets better.”

The seven-day average for daily new cases was 3,975. The seven-day daily average for daily new deaths was 31.

DHS reported that 16,528 more people were tested, for a total of 1,995,469.

As of Monday, the seven-day average positivity rate was 25.7 percent per person, and the seven-day average positivity rate per test was 12.9 percent.

There were five patients at the surge facility in West Allis on Tuesday morning.