WLIP Covid-19 Update 12/24/2020

MADISON, WI (AP)–Wisconsin health officials have confirmed hundreds of new COVID-19 cases across the state. The Department of Health Services reported 2,579 confirmed cases on Wednesday.

The state has now seen 463,594 cases since the pandemic began in March. The DHS reported the disease was a factor in 69 more deaths, bringing the overall death toll to 4,614.

Nearly 34,000 cases were active in the state. The seven-day average of positive tests continues to drop since mid-November, however; it stood at 2,685 tests as of Wednesday afternoon, down from a record high of 6,563 on Nov. 18.

(Chicago, IL) The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 335 new confirmed and probable Coronavirus cases in Lake County on Wednesday, with 1 related death. In the Region that includes both Lake and McHenry County, Covid-linked hospitalizations dropped, while ICU use stayed flat at 73% capacity.

The Region’s positivity rate fell over one percentage point, down to 9.7%. Statewide, there were just under 68-hundred new confirmed and probable Coronavirus cases announced, with 135 related fatalities.

 

WLIP’s Tim Vander Tuuk contributed to this story.