A model of the novel coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019. U.S. health officials have stated that COVID-19 is expected to become a significant public health concern in the United States. (Illustration courtesy of Centers for Disease Control)

By Superior Telegram and Jen Zettel-Vandenhouten

February 16, 2021 at 1:17 PM

An additional 12 Northwestern Wisconsin residents tested positive for COVID-19 , the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported Tuesday, Feb. 16.

They were reported as follows: four in Sawyer County; three each in Douglas and Iron counties; and one each in Price and Rusk counties. No new cases were reported in Burnett, Taylor or Washburn counties.

DHS reduced the case counts for Ashland and Bayfield counties by one each. Officials have said they will correct errors in the data as they find them.

Statewide, an additional 624 cases were reported Tuesday, DHS said, bringing the total to 556,332.

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An additional 38 people died from COVID-19 statewide, bringing the total Tuesday to 6,204, DHS said. Overall, 1% of people who have contracted the virus have died.

The seven-day average of positive COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin continues to drop. On Tuesday, the figure was 754. The seven-day average of positive cases measures the average number of new cases per day over the previous week. An overall decrease in the seven-day average of positive cases indicates the number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in the state is also going down, according to DHS.

The number of negative tests in the state was 2,570,798, an increase of 2,594 from the previous day.

An additional 82 people have been hospitalized because of the virus Tuesday. Across the state, 413 people are currently hospitalized because of COVID-19 , and the total number of people receiving treatment in intensive care units is 118. DHS reported that 79% of the state's available hospital beds are occupied. Overall, 4.6% of Wisconsinites who contracted the virus have been hospitalized.

Tuesday's report also showed that 97% of the people who have tested positive for the virus have recovered. That means 2%, or 10,312 cases, are currently active.

Here's the breakdown in the 10-county region: