• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Health

Wisconsin sees biggest nationwide surge in COVID cases, some tied to the NBA Finals

By
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 5, 2021, 4:30 PM ET

Wisconsin was the state with the biggest surge in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks, with an increase of more than 331%, as it sees a rise in infections—some of which have been linked to the NBA Finals.

When the Milwaukee Bucks won their first championship in almost 50 years, more than 100,000 people are estimated to have attended the last game and a giant outdoor watch party as well as a celebratory parade in the city later that week.

Health officials ultimately identified about 500 cases that could be tied back to the large crowds that gathered in the city during the NBA Finals, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Officials said at least 491 people had visited the area around the stadium or attended a Bucks game before becoming infected, but Wisconsin Department of Health Services officials could not definitively say where the individuals had contracted the virus.

Wisconsin had 692,401 total cases and an average of 1,027 daily cases as of Aug. 4, according to New York Times data. The number of average daily cases is at its highest level in the state since early February.

The Delta variant has spread rapidly among unvaccinated people this summer and now accounts for most new cases of COVID. In Wisconsin, 68% of adults have received one dose of a vaccine, and 63% have been fully vaccinated. This is slightly lower than the 70% of all U.S. adults who have received at least one dose.

Milwaukee County alone experienced a 310% increase in cases per 100,000 residents in the past week, according to New York Times data. Some more rural counties such as Vilas and Lincoln have seen increases in the past week of more than 1,000%.

Subscribe to Fortune Daily to get essential business stories straight to your inbox each morning.

About the Author
By Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Health

Alpha Brain Review
HealthDietary Supplements
Alpha Brain Review (2026): Expert Reviewed Nootropic
By Emily PharesApril 10, 2026
9 hours ago
The 5 Best Weight Loss Pills of 2026: Expert and Doctor Approved
HealthDietary Supplements
The 5 Best Weight Loss Pills of 2026: Expert and Doctor Approved
By Emily PharesApril 10, 2026
11 hours ago
Ritual Synbiotic+ Probiotic Review (2026): An Expert’s Opinion
HealthDietary Supplements
Ritual Synbiotic+ Probiotic Review (2026): An Expert’s Opinion
By Christina SnyderApril 10, 2026
14 hours ago
‘Babies become sitting ducks’: Babies too young for vaccines remain vulnerable in measles ‘hotbed’ communities
HealthVaccine
‘Babies become sitting ducks’: Babies too young for vaccines remain vulnerable in measles ‘hotbed’ communities
By The Associated Press, Laura Ungar and Devi ShastriApril 10, 2026
15 hours ago
Legion Whey+ Protein Powder Review (2026): Nutrition Expert Approved
HealthDietary Supplements
Legion Whey+ Protein Powder Review (2026): Nutrition Expert Approved
By Christina SnyderApril 9, 2026
2 days ago
assis
CommentaryIBM
The digital sovereignty dilemma is a false choice — here’s how enterprises can have both
By Ana Paula AssisApril 9, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

A Meta employee created a dashboard so coworkers can compete to be the company's No. 1 AI token user—and Zuckerberg doesn't even rank in the top 250
AI
A Meta employee created a dashboard so coworkers can compete to be the company's No. 1 AI token user—and Zuckerberg doesn't even rank in the top 250
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
2 days ago
Mark Cuban admits he made a mistake letting go of the Mavericks: 'I don't regret selling. I regret who I sold to'
Investing
Mark Cuban admits he made a mistake letting go of the Mavericks: 'I don't regret selling. I regret who I sold to'
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
2 days ago
The U.S. government is spending $88 billion a month in interest on national debt—equal to spending on defense and education combined
Economy
The U.S. government is spending $88 billion a month in interest on national debt—equal to spending on defense and education combined
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
2 days ago
Schools across America are quietly admitting that screens in classrooms made students worse off and are reversing years of tech-first policies
Innovation
Schools across America are quietly admitting that screens in classrooms made students worse off and are reversing years of tech-first policies
By Fortune EditorsApril 10, 2026
21 hours ago
Scottie Scheffler joined Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in golf's $100M club—and donated his entire Ryder Cup stipend to charity
Success
Scottie Scheffler joined Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in golf's $100M club—and donated his entire Ryder Cup stipend to charity
By Fortune EditorsApril 10, 2026
14 hours ago
The Navy confirmed an ‘abundant amount’ of Uncrustables when the Artemis II crew lands. Smucker’s just offered them a lifetime supply
Politics
The Navy confirmed an ‘abundant amount’ of Uncrustables when the Artemis II crew lands. Smucker’s just offered them a lifetime supply
By Fortune EditorsApril 10, 2026
7 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.