COVID-19 hospitalizations reach new highs

Wisconsin COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to reach new highs.

There were 1,774 total COVID-19 patients in Wisconsin hospitals on Thursday, an increase of 27 from Wednesday and 321 from the prior week.

Of those, a record 376 were in intensive care units, a single-day increase of 16 and up 46 from the last week, according to the Wisconsin Hospital Association.

Wisconsin saw 5,922 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, a little less than the all-time high that was reported Wednesday.

The total number of cases in the state was 249,924, with 54,326 active COVID-19 cases, according to the Department of Health Services.

The state set two records for daily case counts this week, with 5,935 on Wednesday and 5,771 on Tuesday.

The seven-day average for daily new cases was 4,989.

Thirty-eight more deaths were reported, for a total of 2,194. The seven-day average for daily new deaths was 35.

An additional 15,440 Wisconsinites were tested, for a total of 2,131,737.

As of Wednesday, the seven-day average positivity rate by person was 32 percent, and the seven-day average positivity by test was 16.4 percent.

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