Wisconsin Sees Coronavirus Cases Totals Grow By 540, 2 New Deaths

MADISON, WI – Although state health officials announced only two new coronavirus-related deaths as the calendar moved to July, the number of Wisconsin counties that are considered to have high levels of positive cases continues to climb.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Health announced an additional 540 confirmed cases on Wednesday, which takes the statewide total to 29,199 while Wisconsin’s death toll grew to 786. But as the number of positive cases grows, the number of young people that have been infected by the virus is also starting to surge.

As of Wednesday, 6,685 cases (23 percent) are among residents between the ages of 20-29, Department of Public Health data showed. Another 18 percent (5,126) are between the ages of 30-39 and 15 percent (4,512) are between the ages of 40-49.

The percentage of positive cases has started to diminish in recent days after the state’s positivity rate had grown to 5.1 percent over the past week. However, in the past 24 hours, that rate registered at 4.3 percent after 12,600 people were tested across Wisconsin.

However, despite a drop in confirmed cases and in hospitalizations, state health officials announced 14 counties to those considered to have “high” rates of infected residents. As of Wednesday, six Wisconsin counties have announced more than 1,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus:

Milwaukee: 11,510 confirmed cases, 390 deaths

Brown: 2,916 confirmed cases, 42 deaths

Racine: 2,176 confirmed cases, 63 deaths

Dane: 1,953 confirmed cases, 32 deaths

Kenosha: 1,522 confirmed cases, 43 deaths

Waukesha: 1,210 confirmed cases, 39 deaths

On Wednesday, Dane County officials announced that they would be closing bars in the county, which includes Madison, ahead of the July 4 weekend. Of the new confirmed cases on Wednesday, 49 percent were reported by young people, a significant number of which had reported recently going to a bar or tavern.

That sparked the combined health departments of Madison and Dane County to announce that effective Thursday, bars would be limited to take-out service while other restaurants would be limited to offer in-person dining at 25 percent capacity, which is down from 25 percent.

Indoor gatherings would be limited to 10 people while outdoor gatherings can only include 50 people. Under the new order, bars will be able to offer outdoor service while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Local health officials announced the new restrictions will last at least a month.

“This targeted, strategic approach keeps us from having to return entirely to much stricter orders, but we will return to more restrictive orders if we continue on this path," Janel Heinrich, director of Public Health Madison and Dane County, said in a news release on Wednesday.

Other local officials said that the increase in cases among young people may be tied to visits to drinking establishments where the need to speak louder in larger gatherings indoors increases the possible spread of infectious droplets.

“It’s clear that alcohol and coronavirus do not mix," said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, who told reporters that the average age for coronavirus cases in Dane County is now 23.