Nearly 5,000 new virus cases, over 800 hospitalized

Iowa on Thursday reported 4,706 new COVID-19 cases - far eclipsing the previous record of 2.834 new cases on Oct. 30.

The statewide positivity rate was 44.01 percent, the highest ever, outside of a temporary spike Aug. 27 when accumulated antigen test results were added.

Linn County set its own record, reporting 390 new cases in the 24-hour period ending at 11 a.m. Thursday. The positivity rate was 42.16 percent.

Statewide, hospitalizations were at 839, a record and up from 777 reported at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Patients in intensive care totaled 188, a record, up from 182 Wednesday. Patients on ventilators numbers declined from 63 to 60.

In Linn County, a record 49 patients were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Tuesday.

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The new cases bring the state's total number of COVID-19 cases since March to 140,832.

The seven-day average for new cases is 2,691, a record for the 13th day in a row.

With Thursday's report, Iowa passed the one-million mark in the number of COVID-19 tests administered - 1,005,597.

The state reported 10,692 test results Thursday, the second-highest test day after reporting 11,990 tests July 18.

Of the new coronavirus cases Thursday, 490 were in children up to age 17, a record. To date, 12,682 children have tested positive for the virus.

The new cases included 146 people who work in the education sector, for a total of 6,993 since March.

Deaths

Twenty deaths were reported Thursday, for a total of 1,801 since March.

Kossuth County reported its first COVID-19 death, making it the 94th of Iowa's 99 counties to report a virus death.

Dubuque and Polk counties reported two deaths each. Other counties reporting one death each were Adair, Benton, Bremer, Cass, Clinton, Dallas, Des Moines, Hamilton, Harrison, Jackson, O'Brien, Plymouth, Scott, Sioux and Woodbury.

Counties

Linn County's 390 new cases pushed its total cases to 7,552 since March. The county's seven-day average for new cases is 229, a record for the 15th day in a row.

Johnson County, home to the University of Iowa, added 132 cases Thursday, with a positivity rate of 37.29 percent. The county has a seven-day average of 79 new cases.

Story County, home to Iowa State University, added 109 cases, with a positivity rate of 43.6 percent. The county's seven-day average is 59.

Black Hawk County, home to the University of Northern Iowa, reported a record 240 new cases, with a positivity rate of 54.05 percent. The county's seven-day average is 150.

Long-term care

Long-term care facilities continue to battle COVID-19 outbreaks.

Hiawatha Care Center added another new case for a total of 95, with 74 recovered.

Willow Gardens Care Center in Marion added one new case for a total of 19 with four recovered.

Bloomfield Care Center in Davis County was added to the outbreak list with four cases.

Pinnacle Specialty Care in Black Hawk County was removed for the list after being on it since Aug. 18.

Comments: (319) 398-8255; gage.miskimen@thegazette.com

John McGlothlen of The Gazette contributed to this report.