COVID-19 & Other Respiratory Illness Surveillance

COVID-19 & Other Respiratory Illness Surveillance replaces COVID-19 Community Levels to guide prevention decisions.

Monitoring the impact of COVID-19, and other respiratory illnesses, and the effectiveness of prevention and control strategies remains a public health priority.  The following metrics are offered as a way to monitor and track the presence of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, in Portage County to guide prevention decisions.

COVID-19 Hospital Admission Levels

All hospitals are required to report data through the end of April 2024. COVID-19 hospital admission levels can help individuals and communities decide which prevention actions they can take based on the latest information. The total number of new COVID-19 hospital admissions is summarized per 100,000 people in the past week. Visit the CDC Website for more information.

Updated December 1, 2023.

Individual-level prevention steps you can take based on local COVID-19 hospital admission level:

• Stay up to date on vaccinations.
• Maintain ventilation improvements.
• Avoid contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
• Follow the guidance for isolation if you have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
• Follow recommendations for what to do if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19.
• If you are at high risk of getting sick, talk with a healthcare provider about additional prevention actions.

Portage County, Wisconsin

• Data through November 25, 2023, posted December 1, 2023.
• New hospital admissions of confirmed COVID-19, in the past week (total): 2
• Percent change in hospital admissions from the prior week: -60%
• New COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population, past week (total): 2.8

COVID-19 hospital admissions level: LOW (<10.0) as of November 25, 2023.

Wastewater Surveillance

Tracking the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in wastewater samples can provide an early warning of COVID-19's spread in communities. The Stevens Point Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) treats 3 million gallons of wastewater a day and participates SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance program on a weekly basis. View the latest Stevens Point Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 conditions.

Current concentration: High (60th -80th percentile) as of November 27, 2023.

COVID-19 Case Count

As reported through the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS) as of December 1, 2023.

Influenza, RSV, & Other Respiratory Illnesses Surveillance

Below is a snapshot from the Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report for Week 47, ending November 25, 2023, reported by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. View the DHS Respiratory Virus Survey (PDF).  This is reporting for the 2023-2024 Influenza season.