GREEN BAY, Wis. — A steady upward trend of positive COVID-19 cases continues across the state of Wisconsin, with northeastern Wisconsin seeing significant spikes.
Brown County specifically is recording a record high of nearly 9,000 positive cases. Two of their highest daily numbers were a record high, both in the last week.
"The trends are not looking good at all,” Dr. Ashok Rai with Prevea Health said. “Specifically what we’re seeing in the patients that we talk to and the ones that we’re hospitalizing is the majority of the spread is usually related to some social event, gathering or being some place.”
The all-time high positivity rate across the state has stayed at more than 20% for the last few days. The rate has stayed a double digit number since early September.
Hospitalizations have continued to rise to uncharted territory across the state, most recently increasing by more than 350 begin the past three weeks alone.
“We’re not at an overwhelmed point yet, but we’re on the verge of that and it can quickly turn into that if we can't control the spread of it within the community,” Rai said.
One thing health experts want to reiterate is for the public to not avoid hospitals due to fear of limited space if they are feeling ill. However, rising cases can lead to a crisis for healthcare centers, especially in rural areas.
“We worry about small communities and small hospitals and unfortunately when they can’t take care of them then those patients get transferred to larger cities,” the doctor said. “So, it's a domino effect that leads into almost every hospital that can be overwhelmed at some point in the state.”
The Fox Valley, another region seeing an upward trend has nearly doubled its hospitalized COVID patients in the last two weeks, from 52 patients to 103.
Although there's not a number of cases that defines a hot spot, Dr. Rai said the state should already be considered a hot spot for COVID-19. Experts continue to recommend COVID testing for those with any symptoms, and to avoid social settings with large gatherings.