DHS: 3,068 Confirmed COVID-19 Cases In Wisconsin

The state Department of Health Services announced Friday there are 3,068 positive cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin.

According to figures from DHS, 128 people in Wisconsin have died from COVID-19 as of Friday afternoon.

“COVID-19 is changing where and how we do things, almost everything, and we have all had to adapt quickly. I want to say thank you so much again to all of our critical workers who are on the front lines,” Gov. Tony Evers said in a DHS teleconference Friday. “In this time of safer at home it is extremely important that we continue to respect all of our residents and workers of this state … kindness and understanding is how we will get through this.”

According to DHS, 904 people have been hospitalized. That means at least 29 percent of people who have tested positive for the new coronavirus in the state have been hospitalized. DHS officials have said they don’t know the hospitalization history of 20 percent of cases.

The number of positive test results increased by 183 from Thursday to Friday.

Across the state, 33,225 people have tested negative for the virus so far. From Thursday to Friday, the number of negative test results increased by 1,801.

According to DHS, the capacity for processing tests is now more than the number of tests being administered, with 20 labs now on board. DHS chief medical officer Dr. Ryan Westergaard said Friday that the department is loosening restrictions on who can get tested, subject to availability of testing supplies.

“Clinicians can not feel constrained in any way in ordering a test when they think it’s beneficial for the patient,” he said.

Westergaard said the state’s two public health labs will prioritize tests for health care workers and hospitalized and critically ill patients.

Wisconsin’s cities are seeing the highest number of positive cases related to COVID-19. There are confirmed cases in 62 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties.

The following counties have no confirmed cases as of Friday afternoon: Burnett, Forest, Green Lake, Langlade, Lincoln, Pepin, Price, Taylor, Vernon and Washburn.