SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) – Two more deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in the daily update issued Wednesday by the Sheboygan County Division of Public Health. Of the two deaths, one is in the 70-79 age group, and one is in the 80+ age group. 96 persons in Sheboygan County have now lost their battle with COVID-19, and another 95 persons received positive test results since Tuesday, putting the total cases so far at 11,609. 81 persons recovered in the last 24 hours, putting the active case load now at 848, 12 more than on Tuesday. Hospitalizations number 12, two less than Tuesday. With 254 test returns received in all, 37.5% were positive.
Public officials have consistently pointed to the two-week case levels and trajectories as the best measure of the progress of the pandemic, and in Sheboygan County the Activity Level is “Very High”, with a case burden of 553.6 per 100,000 persons. The trajectory over the last two weeks – after having declined steadily since December 23rd – today showed little change.
Wisconsin recorded another 3,406 positive tests for COVID-19 since Tuesday, comprising 37.4% of all returns received, essentially the same rate as in Sheboygan County. 494,747 Wisconsin residents have now fought the disease, and with another 60 deaths reported today, 5,039 have lost their battle. 175 persons were admitted to hospitals for treatment of their symptoms, and after accounting for deaths and discharges the COVID-19 patient population rose 26 to 1,128. 243 of those occupy ICU beds. Another 64 patients are awaiting their test returns, and 447 of the state’s 2,376 ventilators are in use. The Alternate Care Facility at State Fair Park in West Allis is unoccupied.
VACCINE NEWS
According to the Sheboygan County DPH’s COVID Vaccine Tracker, 420,000 doses of vaccines have been allocated to Wisconsin through the federal Pharmacy Partnership Program, and a total of 266,675 of those have been shipped so far. Of the full allocation, 56,900 have been specifically targeted to skilled nursing facilities, and 50,000 were reserved for assisted living facilities. 64,674 of the vaccines already administered were provided by Pfizer, while Moderna supplied 20,935 of the doses already administered.
Only Tier-1A persons, such as front line healthcare workers, long-term facility residents and some essential workers were receiving vaccine at this time, and the next class designated to received the vaccine is still under discussion at the state level.