Wisconsin COVID-19 Hospitalizations Set New Record

MILWAUKEE, WI — Patients being treated for COVID-19 in Wisconsin hospitals reached their highest number in the state's history on Wednesday, the Wisconsin Hospital Association reported.

Wisconsinites being treated for severe illness related to the coronavirus reached 2,278 on Wednesday, a new record, association data showed. The number was only one case higher than the last peak of 2,277 patients in Wisconsin hospitals in November 2020. But the surge of cases related to the omicron variant continues in the state.

Even if some omicron cases were mild, many people with COVID-19 still needed to be hospitalized, including at-risk individuals such as young children and older people and those with compromised immune systems, said Dr. Ben Weston, Milwaukee's chief health adviser, in a statement.

The rise in hospitalizations could make it difficult for others to get hospital beds, such as people getting surgery to remove cancerous tumors, people who were injured in accidents and need intensive care unit beds and people with heart attacks and other urgent medical conditions, Weston added.

ICU beds remained in short supply in most Wisconsin regions. Western Wisconsin still doesn't have any ICU beds available.

The following is a list of intensive care unit beds available across Wisconsin, according to hospital association data.

  • Western: 0 of 36.

  • Southeast: 38 of 549.

  • South Central: 14 of 260.

  • Northwest: 3 of 72.

  • Northeast: 5 of 207.

  • North Central: 2 of 125.

  • Fox Valley: 1 of 104.


RELATED: COVID-19: No ICU Beds In Western WI As Hospitals Near Capacity


The omicron surge in the United States could peak in late January or early February, based on models comparing caseloads in the U.S. and in South Africa, health experts said.

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 was the best tool to prevent infection, severe illness and hospitalization, Weston said in a news conference. Masking up to mitigate the spread of the virus was important as the omicron variant is more infectious, experts said.

People who have mild respiratory illness symptoms or were exposed to someone who has COVID-19 but feel fine should avoid going to urgent care centers to get tested, Allison Kos, the chief medical officer of Progressive Community Health Centers, said in a news conference.


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This article originally appeared on the Milwaukee Patch