Saturday sees lowest number of new coronavirus cases in Iowa for the week

Iowa had its lowest reported number of positive coronavirus tests in a week Saturday.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 279 new cases of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 Saturday, down from 374 the day before. The number of new tests was low compared to the rest of the week.

Ten deaths were reported Saturday - one apiece in Linn and Tama counties - compared to the 18 reported Friday by the department. Muscatine County had three, Polk and Woodbury counties two, and Jasper County one.

However, it was the fifth straight day of at least 10 deaths. Two of those days had 18. The high was 19, on May 4.

The state's total now stands at 346. Seventy are from Linn County, second to Polk County's 78.

An additional outbreak was reported at a long-term care facility in Saturday's numbers, Wapello Specialty Care in Louisa County, for a total of 36 such facilities. It's the first facility in that county with an outbreak, with 18 positive cases.

An outbreak is defined as three or more residents having tested positive for the virus, according to the state.

Polk County had 78 new hospitalizations for the virus, with 46 in Woodbury County and 23 in Black Hawk County. Linn County was tied for sixth with 10. Statewide hospitalizations remained at 387 for the second-straight day.

The top 10 Iowa counties in terms of total cases are:

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Polk - 2,845

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Woodbury - 2,157

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Black Hawk - 1,571

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Linn - 892, which is up 11 from Friday's report

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Marshall - 778

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Dallas - 773

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Johnson - 567, up 2 from Friday

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Muscatine - 524

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Wapello - 360

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Tama - 354, up 4 from Friday.

The total of positive cases in Iowa is 14,328 as of Saturday.

More than 96,000 Iowans have been tested, with 14.9 percent testing positive.

Woodbury is the county with the most hospitalizations for coronavirus per 100,000 population with 56.25. Second is Marshall (45.7), followed by Louisa (36.25), Tama (35.6) and Wapello (34.3).

Louisa County has the most cases per 100,000 population, with Woodbury second and Tama third.

The Department of Public Health said 96,300 Iowans - one of 33 - have been tested for COVID-19, with one of 219 citizens testing positive. Just more than 8 percent of those tested Friday were positive compared to 14.9 percent overall.

Comments: (319) 368-8840; mike.hlas@thegazette.com