New coronavirus infections continue to rise in Iowa

COVID-19 activity in Iowa is on the rise, according to data from the state public health department released Wednesday.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 1,063 new infections in the past seven days, an increase from the 900 new cases reported last week. That compares to the 930 cases reported the week before, and the 478 new cases reported three weeks ago.

The totals are still far below the Jan. 19 omicron surge, when 38,500 new cases were reported for the week.

Linn County reported 129 new cases in the past seven days, compared to the 103 reported last week. In total, 52,302 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Linn County since March 2020.

Johnson County reported 174 new cases, the fourth week in a row the county has seen an increase. Last week, the county reported 145 new cases and 114 cases the week before. To date, 34,367 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Johnson County since March 2020.

As of April 14, the COVID-19 transmission level rose to the “medium” category in Calhoun, Carroll and Sac counties, all in west-central Iowa. All other counties remain in the “low” category, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Under federal guidelines, people living in areas rated as medium or low no longer need to wear masks indoors or in public spaces.

Hospitalizations

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Iowa totaled 63 this week, according to the CDC. That’s down from the 68 hospitalized patients reported last week, but higher than the 33 patients reported the week before.

This week’s total, however, is a fraction of the 991 patients hospitalized the week of Jan. 19 at the height of the omicron surge.

COVID-19 patients in intensive care reached an all-time low this week, totaling just two patients statewide as of Wednesday. Last week, seven patients were in intensive care. The previous all-time low was reported two weeks ago, when six COVID-19 patients were in intensive care in Iowa.

Deaths

Another 35 individuals have died as a result of COVID-19 in Iowa, according to the state public health department. That compares to the 21 deaths confirmed last week, and to the nine reported the week before.

Since the pandemic began in March 2020, 9,510 Iowans have died from the coronavirus.

Linn County confirmed one death in the past week, bringing the countywide death toll since March 2020 to 580.

No deaths were reported in Johnson County this week. Since March 2020, 150 people have died of COVID-19 in Johnson County.

Vaccinations

A total of 1,917,674 Iowans and non-Iowans have completed their COVID-19 vaccine series in the state as of Wednesday. That includes 2,985 individuals who become fully vaccinated in the past seven days.

That’s 61.8 percent of the state’s total population and 65.9 percent of Iowans aged 5 and older, according to the CDC.

An additional 4,333 fully vaccinated individuals received their booster shot in the past week, bringing the total number of fully vaccinated and boosted individuals to 1,026,098 as of Wednesday.

In Linn County, 66.6 percent of the total county population and 71 percent of residents aged 5 and older were fully vaccinated as of this week, according to the CDC.

In Johnson County, 72.5 percent of the total county population and 76.9 percent of those aged 5 and older were fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, per the CDC.

Comments: (319) 398-8469; michaela.ramm@thegazette.com

John McGlothlen of The Gazette contributed to this report.