As the more easily transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to put a strain on health care resources, Wisconsin’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ryan Westergaard says the number of hospitalized COVID patients is actually more critical than the record setting number of new cases.
“The most important thing to think about right now is what are we seeing in our hospitals and how can we support our hospitals and protect our hospital resources, to be able to give everyone the highest level of care,”Westergaard said Thursday. “But the number of cases tell us an important story, which is that Omicron is spreading faster than anything that we’ve seen before.”
Your #COVID19_WI update & for the 3rd day in a row, a record high of new confirmed cases. 11,547 is the highest one-day report throughout the pandemic to date. Please get vaccinated & boosted, wear a mask, get tested & stay home when sick. #StopTheSpread: https://t.co/kcBqlXhW35 pic.twitter.com/J9vwHqJeyr
— WIDeptHealthServices (@DHSWI) January 6, 2022
The Department of Health Services on Thursday reported a third straight record of new COVID cases, at 11,547. The Wisconsin Hospital Association reports some two-thousand people hospitalized for COVID-19, including more than 460 in ICU beds.