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

November 11, 2020 at 3:42 PM

For the second day in a row, more than 200 people tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the 10 counties of Northwestern Wisconsin, according to the state Department of Health Services.

They were reported as follows: 47 in Douglas County; 40 in Rusk County; 25 in Sawyer County; 22 in Taylor County; 16 in Burnett County; 13 in Price County; 11 each in Ashland and Washburn counties; eight in Bayfield County; and seven in Iron County.

The new cases were among 7,048 reported in the state Wednesday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases reported since the pandemic began to 285,891. It's the second straight day the state has added more than 7,000 cases, and the third day it's happened since Saturday. The seven-day average of positive cases was 5,984 Wednesday, compared to 727 on Sept. 1, DHS said.

Two residents of Rusk County and one resident of Sawyer County were among 62 deaths reported throughout the state. The people in Rusk County were the fourth and fifth deaths reported there since the pandemic began, while the person in Sawyer County was that county's fifth.

Statewide, 2,457 people have died from the virus, DHS said. Overall, about 1% of people who have contracted the virus have died.

The number of negative tests in the state was 1,949,868, an increase of 10,424 from the previous day.

An additional 277 people were hospitalized because of the virus Wednesday. Across the state, 2,102 people are currently hospitalized because of the virus, a record-high number that continues to climb. Overall, about 5% of Wisconsinites who contracted the virus have been hospitalized.

Wednesday's report also showed that 77% of the people who have tested positive for the virus have recovered. That means 22%, or 64,067 cases, are currently active.

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