coronavirus wisconsin

NBC 5 Investigates: Numbers Show Surge in Coronavirus Cases, Deaths in Wisconsin

Although the state of Wisconsin saw slightly lower coronavirus case numbers over the last two days, the state is still experiencing one of the worst surges in the virus in the United States, with a variety of metrics showing just how quickly the virus is spreading.

According to data compiled by NBC 5 Investigates, Wisconsin ranked third in the United States in terms of new coronavirus cases over the last week, with 16,953 cases reported during that time. That number trails only Texas and California, which both have significantly larger populations than Wisconsin does.

The number of cases over a seven-day span is the most that Wisconsin has reported in a single week since the pandemic began.

According to NBC 5 Investigates, Wisconsin is also struggling badly with the average case number per 100,000 residents, a key metric that many states, including Illinois, use to determine additional mitigation measures and travel restrictions. Over the last seven days, Wisconsin has reported 41.4 new cases per day per 100,000 residents, trailing only North and South Dakota in that category.

NBC 5 Investigates: Coronavirus statistics from across the U.S.

Many states say that a number above 10 cases per 100,000 residents is enough to trigger restrictions, while Chicago’s travel order mandates that travelers from any state with more than 15 cases per 100,000 residents must quarantine for two weeks upon traveling to the city.

The issue in Wisconsin isn’t just a matter of more widespread coronavirus testing, either. According to NBC 5 Investigates, Wisconsin’s positivity rate over the last seven days is the fifth-worst in the United States, sitting at 17.3%. Only Mississippi, South Dakota, Idaho and Iowa are in worse shape than Wisconsin, according to the station’s data.

Perhaps worst of all, Wisconsin is also seeing a dramatic increase in the number of fatalities related to the virus. Through most of August and September, the state reported an average of six fatalities per day related to COVID-19, but in recent days, that number has more than doubled, with an average of 14 Wisconsin residents losing their lives per day because of the virus.

Contact Us