DRIFTLESS - Over the past week COVID-19, diagnoses statewide increased from 458,612 on Monday, Dec. 21 to 472,153 on Monday, Dec. 28. That is a statewide increase of 13,541 cases. The number of deaths increased from 4,425 to 4,711, an additional 286 deaths, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

Wisconsin began administering vaccine on Monday, December 14, after receiving the first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA authorized the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine shortly thereafter. The first shipment of Moderna vaccine arrived in Wisconsin on December 22, with the first doses administered that day.

As of the end of the day on December 27, the state’s vaccine data are as follows:

• 129,675 doses of Pfizer and 135,900 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine have been allocated to Wisconsin.

• 39,501 total doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered and reported to the Wisconsin Immunization Registry, including 35,595 doses of Pfizer and 3,905 doses of Moderna. One unspecified dose was administered in Wisconsin.

Crawford Countysaw 22 new cases, increasing to 1,532. The number of deaths increased by one to 12.

At the Prairie du Chien Correctional Institution, there have been a total of 413 positive tests and 1,048 negative tests. Of the 413 positive cases, four are released positive cases, and there are no active positive cases and 409 inactive positive cases. 

In addition, the Crawford County Public Health Department will be holding COVID-19 testing events twice a week on Mondays, 11 a.m. – 12 noon and Fridays, 9-10 a.m. at the Crawford County Administration Building parking lot, 225 N. Beaumont Rd. Prairie du Chien, WI 53821. All tests must be scheduled in advance.  Call the Crawford County Public Health Department at 608-326-0229 to schedule an appointment. There is no cost to participate.

Drive through testing will also be offered in January, February and March in both Prairie du Chien and Gays Mills. In Prairie du Chien, testing will take place at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 201 S. Michigan Street, on Jan.5, Feb. 2, and March 2, from 12-4 p.m. In Gays Mills, testing will take place at Vosseteig Funeral Home, 325 Sunset Ridge Avenue, on Jan. 19 and Feb 16, from 12-4 p.m.

Vernon Countysaw an increase of 77 cases in the last week, increasing to 1,509. The number deaths increased by four, from 30 to 34.

Free COVID-19 community testing will be available every other Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Old Highway Shop in Viroqua, at the intersection of Highways 56 and 14 (across from the Viroqua Food Co-op). Testing events will take place on Jan. 12, Jan. 26, Feb. 9, Feb. 23, and Mar. 9.

Richland Countysaw an increase of 47 cases, increasing to 1,073. The number of deaths in the county remained at 13.

Upcoming COVID-19 testing events in the county will be held as follows:

Richland County Fairgrounds, 23630 County AA, Richland Center, Mondays 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and Thursdays 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Monroe Countysaw an increase of 120 cases in the last week, going from 3,282 to 3,402. The number of deaths in the county increased by one to 27.

Juneau Countysaw an increase in cases of 54, growing to 2,339. Of the 2,339 cases, 540 of them are at the New Lisbon Correctional Facility, an increase of three cases there. In addition, a new outbreak started on Dec. 3 at the Sand Ridge Treatment Center in Mauston, where there are 49 cases. The number of deaths in the county remained at 10.

LaCrosse Countyhas seen a slowing down in the number of new cases in the last week of 291, going from 9,576 to 9,867. The number of deaths increased by three to 55.

In the last Coulee COVID-19 update, released on Dec. 23, it stated: Trends in this week’s cases saw multiple clusters with work-related exposures that then spread outward. There were 384 new cases during this lookback period—46 of those new cases could be linked to a workplace outbreak. Places of business can be susceptible to outbreaks because people from different households congregate. If you are feeling sick, stay home from work and seek out testing at our local health systems, community testing sites, or an at-home testing kit. (Testing information can be found at lacrossecounty.org/covid19/testing-information.) Trends this week also saw increased mortality as there were eight deaths reported during this lookback period. Case fatality remains substantially higher for older individuals. During this holiday week, it is important that residents of La Crosse County be very diligent with their actions, especially surrounding older family members who are at higher risk of complications, hospitalization and death.

Grant Countyhas seen an increase of 76 cases in the last week, going from 4,001 to 4,077. The number of deaths in the county remained at 77.

Lafayette Countyhas seen an increase of 33 cases in the last week, increasing to 1,228. The number of deaths in the county remained at five.