Johnson, Linn counties reach highest number of new weekly COVID-19 cases in over a year

Johnson and Linn counties are seeing their highest weekly totals for COVID-19 cases in 13 months as new case rates continue to trend up, according to data released Wednesday by the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Johnson County reported a total of 744 new cases over the last week, a 52 percent jump from last week’s total of 488. The last time its seven-day total was that high was on Nov. 25, 2020, when it was 749.

Linn County’s seven-day case total is now 1,186, a nearly 26 percent increase from 943 last week. The last time it was that high was on Nov. 27, 2020, when 1,220 cases were reported.

This week, 16 children are hospitalized, all unvaccinated — up from eight last week, but down from 19 two weeks ago.

New cases

In all, Iowa saw 11,234 new COVID-19 cases this week, up from 10,381 new cases last week, bringing the statewide total to 574,513 since the start of the pandemic.

The vast majority — 70 percent — of new positive cases over the last week were in those under 50, with the biggest share among those in the 18 to 29 age range:

Linn County’s positivity rate has gone up from 12.7 percent last week to 16.1 percent this week. Johnson County’s has risen from 9.5 to 12.3 percent. All 99 counties in Iowa remain in the “red zone,” the maximum level of community transmission of the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Vaccinations

An additional 10,126 Iowans became fully vaccinated over the last week, bringing the number of inoculated Iowans over 5 years old to 59.53 percent, or 1,761,780 people. When including those under 5, the rate is 55.84 percent.

Scores continue to receive their booster shots — 51,246 people in the last week — bringing the number of fully vaccinated and boosted Iowans to 809,984, or 27 percent of the state population.

Johnson County continues to be a leading county in the state for vaccinations, with 71.48 percent of the population over 5 years old vaccinated. That figure was boosted by an additional 228 people vaccinated over the last week. The county’s vaccination rate including those under 5 is 67.36 percent.

Linn County has vaccinated an additional 931 residents over the last week, bringing the totals to 66.62 percent of the population over 5, and 62.48 percent of the total population.

Deaths

The statewide death toll of confirmed COVID-19 cases is now 7,858 — slightly more than double what it was at the end of 2020, when it stood at 3,898.

Over the last year, Linn County’s death toll has jumped over 85 percent from where it stood at the end of 2020, from 245 to 447. Johnson County’s has more than doubled, from 47 to 116, as of last week.

Though statewide COVID-19 deaths reported this week are about half the number reported last week — down to 59 from 119 — Linn County sustained more new confirmed deaths than any other county. With eight new deaths, Linn County leads over the next highest tallies in Pottawattamie County (five) and Cerro Gordo County (four).

Johnson County has not reported any new deaths as of this week.

Of the 59 newly reported deaths, 51 are from December and six are from November. One death was confirmed from July and October.

Hospitalizations

The number of people being treated for COVID-19 in Iowa hospitals dropped from 747 to 711, although those in intensive care rose from 158 to 165. The number of patient on ventilators inched down from 101 to 97.

Of those hospitalized for the virus, 80.6 percent had not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Among those only in intensive care, the number rose to 83 percent, the state data show. Both those numbers were slightly down from last week.

Long-term care outbreaks

Long-term care outbreaks continue to trend upward, with 23 current outbreaks. Two weeks ago, there were 16 outbreaks. Three or more COVID-19 cases among staff and residents in a facility constitutes an outbreak.

Comments: (319) 398-8340; elijah.decious@thegazette.com

John McGlothlen of The Gazette contributed to this report.