covid-19

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is reporting another 1,300 cases Friday. That’s the lowest daily case county in more than a month.

DHS said there could be delays in test results because of the holiday.

Another 17 people have died.

Between Oneida, Vilas, and Forest Counties more than 4,000 people have tested positive and nearly 60 people have died since the start of the pandemic.

All counties in our region except for Iron County is at “Critically High” activity level.

You can find the break down for all counties below.

Nearly 300 nursing home residents in Wisconsin died from COVID-19 in the most recent month reported to the federal government.

The Journal Sentinel reports that’s more than 10 times the previous month. Nursing homes in Wisconsin reported that 294 residents had died of the disease caused by the coronavirus between Oct. 12 and Nov. 8, according to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

In the previous month, the deaths of 28 residents were reported. In the latest four-week period, Wisconsin nursing homes reported 2,130 residents with newly confirmed cases.

For many across the country, coronavirus stories are hitting close to home right now. Just like it is for the Radtke family in Wisconsin Rapids.

Lonn Radtke's journey started with feeling fatigued.

"I had just recently had a birthday and I was like oh am I getting that old and just getting this tired now," Lonn said. "I just felt weak and a lack of appetite."

Wisconsin has set another record for coronavirus deaths. 

The state Department of Health Services reported Tuesday that the virus was a factor in another 104 deaths. That breaks the old record of 92 daily deaths set on Nov. 17.

The virus has now been a factor in 3,115 deaths since the pandemic began in March.

The DHS also reported another 6,202 confirmed cases.

The state has now seen 363,973 cases since March. The seven-day average of positive tests was 28.7% as of Monday, down from 36.5% last week.

Wisconsin nursing homes have seen a spike in COVID-19-related deaths, with nearly 300 reported during a recent four-week span.

Data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show 294 residents died of the virus between Oct. 12 and Nov. 8.

The figure is more than 10 times the 28 deaths that were reported in the previous month. The number of cases in nursing homes has also surged.

In the latest reporting period, nursing homes reported 2,130 residents with new COVID-19 cases, up from 387 new cases in the preceding four-week period.

At Monday night's meeting, the Wausau School board discussed what could potentially trigger a return to virtual learning.

However, they said that transition would be based on staffing needs rather than rising COVID-19 cases.

"I know people have been asking about metrics. Is there some measure that would say this is when a school would close? Unfortunately those metrics don't exist," said Superintendent Keith Hilts.

There will be no hospital beds available in northcentral Wisconsin by mid-December.

That was the grim message from all three healthcare groups in our region on Friday.

Representatives from Ascension, Marshfield Clinic, and Aspirus spoke during a panel discussion hosted by the Wausau Chamber of Commerce, WSAW, WAOW, Marathon County Health Department, DC Everest School District and Wausau School District.

A spokeswoman for Gov. Tony Evers’ says a virtual meeting with Republican legislative leaders to discuss COVID-19 relief efforts was “productive."

The meeting on Friday was Evers’ first with newly-elected Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and his first since May with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.

It comes as the coronavirus continues to ravage the state, with hospitals at or near capacity.

The head of the Wisconsin Hospital Association on Thursday urged Evers and Republicans to work together urgently to avoid the crisis becoming a catastrophe.