One new Iowa coronavirus death reported

For the first time in nearly two months, only one Iowan died of COVID-19 in the latest 24-hour period - but the state broke its 17-day streak of seeing fewer hospitalizations because of the disease.

In the period ending at 11 a.m. Sunday, the sole death was reported in Polk County, bringing the total death toll to 651. The last time only one person died as a result of the virus in a 24-hour period was April 18. Iowa recorded its first COVID-19 death on March 24.

State health officials also reported 349 new positive cases in the 24-hour period, bringing the total to 23,904.

The total number of negative tests surpassed 200,000 Sunday, rising to 200,751. Of all the tests administered in Iowa, 10.64 percent have been positive.

Hospitalizations due to the coronavirus rose Sunday after a 17-day decline, with 203 people currently hospitalized.

More patients are severely ill from the disease as well, with 77 people in intensive care and 47 on ventilators to help them breathe.

Linn County has dropped to sixth on the list of counties with the highest numbers of positive cases. Linn County has had 1,017 positive cases, behind Dallas County with 1,024, Buena Vista County with 1,591, Black Hawk County with 1,833, Woodbury County with 3,004 and Polk County with 5,143 - the highest total in the state.

Linn County has reported only three new cases each of the last four days.

Rehabilitation Center of Des Moines reported an outbreak, while no long-term care facilities were taken off the list of outbreaks.

Comments: (319) 398-8371; brooklyn.draisey@thegazette.com

John McGlothlen of The Gazette contributed to this report.