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MADISON, Wisconsin (AP) – Positive COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin on Wednesday were twice as high as a week ago and seven times as high as a month ago, fueled by the more contagious delta variant , leading state health officials to once again urge everyone to get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.
As of Wednesday, 792 new cases of COVID-19 were reported, and the daily seven-day average was 478, up from 239 last week and 69 a month ago.
“To stop the spread, we need everyone who is eligible for the vaccine now,” said Julie Willems Van Dijk, deputy secretary of the state’s health department. “The increased spread also increases the risk of developing new variants and these new variants could be even more dangerous than the ones we have now.”
As of Wednesday, just over 49% of the state was fully vaccinated. As of January, more than 98% of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin have been in people who are not fully vaccinated, the state health department said.
This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people living in areas with high or high disease transmission wear masks indoors, whether or not they are vaccinated.
This currently applies to 14 counties in Wisconsin: Florence, Iron, Pepin, Bayfield, Sawyer, Buffalo, Oneida, Forest, Shawano, Adams, Calumet, Milwaukee, Waukesha and Racine.
There has not been a statewide mask warrant in Wisconsin since the State Supreme Court overturned one in March, saying it was beyond the scope of what the Department of health or state governor might require.
Some communities in Wisconsin have released new guidelines reflecting the CDC’s recommendations. There is nothing wrong with wearing a mask to provide an extra layer of protection whether or not it is needed, said Willems Van Dijk.
“No matter where you live, if you are not vaccinated, please wear a mask,” she said.
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