11 virus deaths in Iowa the most since July 15

Jul. 31, 2020 2:07 pm Updated: Jul. 31, 2020 8:18 pm

Iowa reported 11 additional deaths due to COVID-19 as of 11 a.m. Friday - the most in a 24-hour period since July 15.

The statewide death toll now stands at 865 since the start of the pandemic in March.

Eight of the 11 deaths were in Polk County, bringing its total to 201.

Linn County has reported 87 deaths, and Black Hawk County has 62.

Shelby County reported its first coronavirus-related death Friday, making it the 73rd county in Iowa to report a death.

Statewide, 631 new coronavirus cases were reported Friday, out of 5,892 tests, for a positive rate of 10.71 percent.

The state has confirmed 44,475 coronavirus cases since mid-March.

Linn County reported 42 new cases, for total of 1,979 since March. The county's rolling seven-day average is 36, the highest rolling average, where it has remained for the past two days.

Linn County's number of news cases has been in double digits for 19 consecutive days, with more than 30 new cases on 11 of those days.

Johnson County reported 33 new cases Friday, bringing its total to 1,868 cases. The county's rolling seven-day average is 23, which has been climbing slowly for six straight days.

Solon Nursing Care Center, site of an outbreak, added one positive case for a total of 33.

Hospitalizations in the state dropped from 237 to 225 on Friday. The number of patients in intensive care fell from 76 to 71, and patients on ventilators declined from 31 to 29.

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This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January 2020 shows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). (CDC via AP)