The Wisconsin Department of Health Services lowered Kewaunee County's rating for COVID-19 activity to "very high" after more than a month at a "critically high" level, while the number and rate of positive test results for the virus remained relatively stable in Kewaunee and Door counties over the past two weeks.
The most recent activity level ratings by the health department cover the two weeks from Oct. 13 to 26. The ratings are based on the number of positive cases per 100,000 people in the county in that period, aka the burden, and the rate of change in the number of positive cases during that time, aka the trajectory.
According to the state, Kewaunee County's burden for that period was 731.4 per 100,000, down from 1,036.6 per 100,000 people over the previous two-week period. Also, its trajectory continued to show no significant change.
Door County remained at a "very high" level as well with a burden of 577.5 cases per 100,000, down from 766.5 as of Oct. 12, and its trajectory continued with no significant change.
As of Oct. 12, when the previous ratings were calculated by the state, Kewaunee County was one of 16 of the state's 72 counties at the critically high level. The Oct. 26 ratings show four counties with critically high activity and three — Rock, Dane and Kenosha — at a high level, with the remaining 65 rated very high.
The number of positive tests in each county has stayed somewhat steady recently, with Kewanee County reporting 39 new COVID-19 cases in the week from Oct. 25 to Nov. 1 and 90 in the two weeks from Oct. 18 to Nov. 1. Door County recorded 40 and 106 positives over those seven-day and 14-day periods. Those figures are comparable to the 107 cases reported in Kewaunee County and 98 in Door County in the two weeks immediately before.
The figures are well below those seen during the resurgence of the virus in September, when Kewaunee County averaged just over 100 new cases a week, including one week with 152 cases, and Door County averaged just under 100. However, they're still higher than they were throughout most of the summer, when the weekly number of positives generally was in the 20s in Kewaunee County and ranged between single digits and the 20s on the Peninsula.
The public health departments in both counties, as well as local pharmacies, clinics and Door County Medical Center, continue to offer COVID-19 vaccines, including recommended booster shots.
More: Q&A: When and how Wisconsin children may be able to get a COVID vaccine
More: Wisconsin expecting 172,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for children 5-11
The number of vaccines administered in the two counties and across Wisconsin has stagnated or slowed in recent months, especially in Kewaunee County, which saw 126 residents get their initial doses and 104 people complete the vaccination process in the past two weeks, compared to 205 and 187, respectively, in the two preceding weeks. With 55.7% of adults and 46.7% of all residents completing their vaccine cycles as of Monday, the county remains among the bottom 10 in the state and is the lowest in northeast Wisconsin in percentage of residents who've received vaccines in those categories.
Conversely, Door County trails only Dane County in the state in vaccination percentage, with 70.1% of all residents and 79.9% of adults having completed the vaccination process.
MORE: Lowest tax rate in 10 years is proposed for the 2022 Kewaunee County budget
FOR MORE KEWAUNEE COUNTY NEWS: Check out our homepage
FOR MORE DOOR COUNTY NEWS: Check out our homapge
Appointments are required for vaccines given by the Kewaunee County Public Health Department, which gives the shots Tuesdays and Fridays. For appointments or more information, call 920-388-7160.
The Door County Public Health Department is holding a drive-thru clinic for both the COVID-19 and flu vaccines from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Station; appointments are not needed. It also has drive-thru COVID-19 vaccine clinics scheduled for the afternoons of Nov. 17 and 18 at the county Emergency Medical Services building, 916 N. 14th Ave., Sturgeon Bay, but appointments are required. For appointments or more information, call 920-746-7180 or visit bookdcph.timetap.com or co.door.wi.gov and click on the "COVID-19 Vaccine and Updates" bar at the top of the homepage.
Statistics as of Nov. 1 (provided by the county and state health departments) are as follows:
Positive tests since Oct. 18 (includes probable cases):
Negative tests since Oct. 18:
Percentage of positive tests (positivity rate):
Total positive tests:
Total negative tests:
Deaths from COVID-19 complications:
Active cases:
Total vaccines given:
Vaccines for ages 18 and older:
Vaccine doses given in past two weeks:
Contact Christopher Clough at 920-741-7952, 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: COVID-19 update: Kewaunee County lowered from 'critically high' to 'very high' activity level, new cases stay steady in Door County
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here