Iowa reports lowest number of new COVID-19 cases in 24-hour period since June 16

Iowa reported 138 new COVID-19 cases Monday - the lowest number of new cases reported in a 24-hour period since June 16.

To date, 345,814 people in Iowa have tested positive for COVID-19 since the virus first appeared here in March 2020.

The new cases come from 4,050 tests, resulting in a 24-hour positivity rate of 3.93 percent. Iowa's seven-day average for new cases is 412, the lowest seven-day average reported since July 5,

Among the new cases recorded in the 24-hour period ending at 11 a.m. Monday were 25 children age 17 and younger, bringing that age group's case total to 39,514.

One new case was reported among those who work in education, bringing that total to 7,732.

Linn County added nine cases Monday, for a seven-day average of 16 cases.

Johnson County had 14 new cases. The county's seven-day average is 14.

Long-term care facilities

For the fifth straight day, Iowa saw no new outbreaks at any of its 429 long-term care facilities, according to Iowa Department of Public Health data.

An outbreak is defined as three of more COVID-19 cases among facility residents and staff. At the peak of the winter surge in virus cases, outbreaks were reported at 170 Iowa nursing homes on Dec. 3.

Gov. Kim Reynolds said last week that more than 90 percent of the residents in Iowa's long-term care facilities are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as about 60 percent of the facilities' staff members.

A total of 2,225 people have died from COVID-19 in long-term care facilities across the state, accounting for more than 39 percent of the state's 5,675 virus-related deaths.

Hospitalizations

The state reported Monday that hospitalizations dipped from 174 to 171. Patients in intensive care decreased from 41 to 37, and the number of patients requiring ventilators to help them breathe ticked up from 16 to 18.

Vaccinations

As of 1:30 p.m. Monday, 1,287,475 COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered in Iowa, with 1,240,253 of those going to Iowa residents.

Both totals are up by more than 8,500 from Sunday.

Across the state, 499,348 people have been fully vaccinated. Of those, 480,072 were Iowans - the equivalent of 19.13 percent of Iowa's adult population (16 and older) and 15.22 percent of Iowa's total population.

State officials said 465,141 people have completed the Moderna or Pfizer two-shot vaccines, and the remaining people - 34,207 - received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

In Linn County, 94,162 vaccine doses have been administered. Of those, 37,862 people are fully vaccinated - or 20.98 percent of the county's adult population and 16.7 percent of the county's total population.

In Johnson County, 75,316 vaccine doses have been administered. Of those, 29,921 people are fully vaccinated - or 24.07 percent of the county's adult population and 19,8 percent of the county's total population.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Monday morning reported that nationwide some 126.5 million total vaccines had been administered, with nearly 45 million people in the United States being fully vaccinated.

Deaths

The state reported no newly confirmed COVID-19 deaths as of 11 a.m. Monday.

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