COVID-19-related infections, hospitalizations, deaths decline in Wisconsin

The number of news cases of COVID-19 continued to fall over the last week, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported Wednesday, Feb. 23.

Hospitalizations and deaths resulting from the virus also continued to go down from the previous week, DHS reported.

The seven-day average of new cases in Wisconsin was 982 on Wednesday, down from 1,629 on Feb. 16. The figure measures the average number of new cases per day over the previous week. An decrease indicates the number of confirmed COVID infections in the state is going down, according to DHS.

Hospitalizations as a result of COVID went down to 720 people, from 944 the previous week based on a rolling seven-day average, DHS reported Wednesday.

Among the people hospitalized, 153 were being treated in intensive care units, down from 197 the previous week. For the two-week period ending Tuesday, Feb. 22, 85.7% of the ICU beds in Wisconsin were in use, DHS said.

An additional 146 people died from complications related to COVID statewide since Feb. 16, the data showed, bringing the total to 11,800. Among those who died were five people in Rusk County; two people in Taylor County; and one person each in Ashland, Price, Sawyer and Washburn counties.

Statewide, an additional 6,870 new cases were reported since Feb. 16. The total number of cases across the state was 1,378,564 Wednesday.

Closer to home, an additional 241 people in Northwestern Wisconsin tested positive for COVID since Feb. 16, DHS said.

They were reported as follows: 63 in Douglas County; 31 each in Ashland and Washburn counties; 26 in Burnett County; 22 each in Bayfield and Price counties; 21 in Taylor County; 11 each in Rusk and Sawyer counties; and three in Iron County.

Since vaccines became available, 9,265,601 vaccines have been administered, and 1,909,029 booster shots have been administered. About 60.3% of Wisconsin's population is fully vaccinated.

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

• Total cases: 2,422
• Hospitalized: 111
• Deaths: 28
• Probable deaths: 6
• Vaccinated: 67.4%

• Total cases: 2,300
• Hospitalized: 137
• Deaths: 28
• Probable deaths: 10
• Vaccinated: 69.6%

• Total cases: 3,488
• Hospitalized: 226
• Deaths: 40
• Probable deaths: 1
• Vaccinated: 53.2%

• Total cases: 7,817
• Hospitalized: 311
• Deaths: 50
• Probable deaths: 22
• Vaccinated: 62.4%

• Total cases: 1,198
• Hospitalized: 77
• Deaths: 24
• Probable deaths: 21
• Vaccinated: 62.6%

• Total cases: 2,982
• Hospitalized: 233
• Deaths: 28
• Probable deaths: 1
• Vaccinated: 56.5%

• Total cases: 2,982
• Hospitalized: 210
• Deaths: 53
• Probable deaths: 0
• Vaccinated: 41.2%

• Total cases: 3,940
• Hospitalized: 541
• Deaths: 52
• Probable deaths: 6
• Vaccinated: 54.8%

• Total cases: 4,265
• Hospitalized: 266
• Deaths: 53
• Probable deaths: 26
• Vaccinated: 34.4%

• Total cases: 3,653
• Hospitalized: 223
• Deaths: 40
• Probable deaths: 4
• Vaccinated: 62.8%

Visit the Douglas County COVID-19 dashboard or Wisconsin Department of Health Services COVID-19 page for updates.