COVID-19 Cases Surge Since November In WI, More Youth Infected

MILWAUKEE, WI — COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are on the rise across Wisconsin, and state health services data showed younger people made up the largest number of new state infections.

Infections were up 63.6 percent over November, Wisconsin Department of Health Services data showed. There were 4,052 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, compared to 2,477 cases on Nov. 1.

A total of 709 people under the age of 18 were reported with COVID-19 on Sunday. Health services data showed that 17 percent of cases were among those people aged 20 to 29 on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, folks 70 and older accounted for the majority of hospitalizations across the state. People between 70 and 79 made up 20 percent of hospitalizations; people 80 to 89 made up 31 percent of hospitalizations, health services data showed Wednesday.

Snapshot Of COVID-19 In Wisconsin

The seven-day average of COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin reached 3,740 on Tuesday. The last time the average was this high was November 2020.

More than 1,600 Wisconsinites were hospitalized for the disease as of Thursday, the Wisconsin Hospital Association reported. There are 45 ICU beds left in the whole state, and some health care systems reported having to turn away people for care because of the influx of coronavirus patients.

State health services Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency for extra workers to help hospitals overflowing with COVID-19 patients. Many of the patients in ICU and hospital beds across the state were unvaccinated.

Timberlake encouraged people to get vaccinated to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to reduce the severity of the disease. Health services officials recommended a booster dose for 16- and 17-year-olds.