DHS reports fewest COVID cases in nearly a year

The disease isn’t gone yet, but the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported the fewest number of new COVID-19 cases in Trempealau County in nearly a year.

The eight new cases reported last week were the lowest since there were seven in the last week of May 2020. The spread had been steady with between 10 and 20 cases reported in 11 of the last 12 weeks, but last week was the first time the number of new cases dropped to single digits.

While the number of new cases has been relatively low recently, the DHS did report another death last week in Trempealeau County. The most recent death means there has been three straight weeks with at least one death and 42 total since the beginning of the pandemic.

Most of the spread the last three weeks has been limited to the southern portion of the county. Half of the new cases were in the Galesville and Trempealeau areas last week.

The administration of COVID-19 vaccines has also slowed in recent weeks. The DHS reported 1,010 vaccines were administered in the county last week. Most of those (691) were people getting their second doses as the number of newly-vaccinated individuals seems to be dropping. So far, 46.9 percent — 13,911 — county residents have received one vaccine and 12,343 have completed the series. Health officials have said that they hope to have 70 percent of the population vaccinated before loosening restrictions such as mask requirements, the county currently sits at 41.6 percent.

While fewer than half the county residents under the age of 55 have been vaccinated, 91.5 percent of residents who are 65 or older have completed the series and 94.7 percent have received at least one dose.