Author: Sam Buisman

Wisconsin confirms over 1,000 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, smashing its previous daily record. 

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, health officials around the state confirmed a record 1,117 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, July 21, far surpassing the state's record of 978 cases set on July 18. This marks the first 1,000-plus day for new COVID-19 cases since the disease was confirmed in Wisconsin, although the state has had four 900-plus days as of press time. 

The DHS also reported 13 coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, although this falls well below the state's record of 22 deaths on May 27. 

Wisconsin's spike in cases comes as the United States continues to add over 50,000 new COVID-19 cases per day throughout most of July, bringing its nationwide total to over 3.8 million cases as of Tuesday. 

While Dane County has recently taken steps to curb the spread of the coronavirus, such as its mandatory indoor mask order, analytics firm WalletHub found in a recent study that Wisconsin as a state has the second-fewest COVID-19 restrictions in the county. 

Multiple attempts by Democratic Governor Tony Evers and his administration to impose such statewide restrictions have been thwarted by lawsuits brought by the Republican-controlled State Legislature decided by the conservative-majority State Supreme Court, including the Governor's Safer at Home order and last-ditch attempt to postpone Wisconsin's primary election. 

The DHS continues to recommend that Wisconsinites wear masks, practice social distancing, wash their hands and cover their coughs and sneezes to prevent the virus from spreading.