As of Wednesday, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken the lives of 8073 Wisconsinites, according to the Department of Health Services.
The state faces an ongoing rate of approximately 15 deaths per day, with the highest death tolls in Milwaukee, Waukesha and Racine counties. The United States as a whole has reached a count of approximately 713 thousand deaths from COVID.
More than 1 out of every 8 Wisconsin residents tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. In Menominee County, the case count is as high as 1 in every 5 residents. More than 1 in 20 of these confirmed cases required hospitalization and around 1 in every 100 cases resulted in death. Even as case counts have dropped by 8% in recent weeks, hospitalization and death rates have increased by figures of 7% and 16%, respectively.
The state’s vaccination rate has steadily increased over the past few months. According to the New York Times, 61% of the state has received at least one dose of the vaccine, slightly under the national average of 66%. In addition, 94% of citizens around the state aged 65 and above, who make up the demographic most vulnerable to COVID-19, have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
Dane County is second in the state at a vaccination rate of 73%, trailing only Bayfield County. Counties like Taylor and Clark face the lowest vaccination rates, with figures under 35%.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers held steadfast in his position against imposing a vaccine mandate, citing his belief that “at the end of the day, it is an individual choice”.