MILWAUKEE — Wisconsin saw the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on Monday compared to any day since the pandemic began.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services'COVID-19 dashboardrecorded 8,058 confirmed cases on Monday. That's compared to the previous daily record of 7,870 cases on Nov. 17, 2020.
The spike in cases brought the 7-day average number of cases to 5,711 on Monday, the highest that number has been since late November of 2020. Tuesday's numbers will be available to see on Wednesday.
The DHS explained in a social media post that Monday's record spike in cases is due to data still coming in from the New Years weekend, as well as from the recent surge in cases driven by the Omicron variant.
Your #COVID19_WI update shows a record 8,058 new confirmed cases reported yesterday. That's due to data still coming in following the holiday weekend, and #COVID19 and the Omicron variant still spreading in our communities. Please help #StopTheSpread: https://t.co/kcBqlXhW35 pic.twitter.com/yjoHnQ1eYk
— WIDeptHealthServices (@DHSWI) January 4, 2022
On Monday DHS reported the state surpassed 1 million confirmed cases since the pandemic began. More than 10,000 people have died from complications caused by the virus since the virus entered Wisconsin in the spring of 2020.
Meanwhile the Wisconsin Hospital Association reports 1,903 COVID-19 patients are currently in the hospital, including 462 in the ICU.
Health care providers have been warning for weeks that hospitals are full, a capacity that denies critical patients the best treatment.
COVID-19 testing has also skyrocketed, with many people wanting to get checked after traveling and visiting family and loved ones over the holidays. Just on Tuesday the Milwaukee Health Department announced police officers will now be stationed at testing sites after receiving reports of line-cutting and other altercations between residents and with testing site staff.