COVID-19 hospitalizations reach new highs

The number of COVID-19 patients in Wisconsin hospitals and intensive care units reached a new high on Monday.

There were 1,648 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, an increase of 114 from Sunday and up 298 compared to the same point last week, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association.

Of those, 352 were in intensive care units, a single-day increase of five and up 23 from last week.

The Department of Health Services reported 3,433 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the state’s total to 232,296.

Three more deaths were reported, for a total of 2,050.

There were 8,846 more people tested, for a total of 2,078,914.

According to DHS, 48,366 cases were active. DHS tweeted that was “enough people to fill Miller Park and leave 6,400-plus in the parking lot.”

The seven-day average for daily new cases was 4,463. New cases have increased 542 percent over the last two months, up from 695 on Sept. 2, DHS noted.

The average number of deaths reported daily over the last week was 37.

As of Sunday, the seven-day average positivity rate by person was 30.1 percent, and the seven-day average positivity rate by test was 15.1 percent.

There were 13 patients at the surge facility in West Allis as of Monday morning.

The Wisconsin National Guard gathered 49,000 specimens at community-based COVID-19 testing sites in 41 counties last week, a new record.

They’ve scheduled missions in 45 counties this week.

The Stop the COVID Spread! Coalition said Monday it’s added more than 40 chambers of commerce to its numbers. There are now more than 100 healthcare, business and advocacy organizations that are part of the messaging campaign.

It also released its third public service announcement on Monday, featuring a registered nurse at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Appleton.