MADISON, WI (WTAQ) — COVID-19 levels in Wisconsin are the highest they’ve been all year.
DHS officials reported 3,981 new cases on Monday, the most since Dec. 11, 2020.
“We really want to sound the alarm,” said Bureau of Infectious Diseases Chief Dr. Ryan Westergaard. “COVID-19 is heating up.”
It’s happening in spite of nearly 60% of Wisconsin residents receiving at least one shot of the vaccine.
Westergaard says the pandemic curve underway looks familiar.
“Looking at our curve from last fall and winter and this fall and winter, November-December was the point in 2020 when things started to accelerate,” Westergaard told reporters. “We’re seeing daily numbers…that are higher than the initial wave of infection caused by the delta variant.”
Influenza is also circulating at low levels, and doctors are concerned that the combination of both respiratory diseases could spell trouble for hospital capacity.
“That’s why we need everyone’s support to flatten the curve as much as we can; to get vaccinated if you’re not vaccinated, to get your booster dose if you haven’t got your booster dose, to get your influenza vaccine,” he said.
Westergaard says that families should continue to limit the size of their holiday gatherings, especially if there are people who are unvaccinated. He reminds people that it’s too late to get a full series of doses ahead of Thanksgiving.
