Hospitalizations climb for Iowa COVID-19 cases; Van Buren County records first death

Hospitalizations for patients with COVID-19 have risen to their highest level in nearly a month, according to data provided by the state Tuesday.

Hospitalizations, ICU patients and patients on ventilators have all risen in the 24-hour period ending at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Van Buren County also recorded its first coronavirus-related death.

Hospitalizations rose to 186, the highest since June 18, when 197 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized. ICU patients rose from to 67, the highest since June 15, when 71 were in the ICU. And patients on ventilators are up to 32, at its highest since June 18 when 37 were on ventilators. There are currently 508 ICU beds and 774 ventilators available in Iowa.

Three new deaths were reported for a total of 756 coronavirus related deaths. Van Buren County's death makes it the 64th county with a coronavirus-related death. The other deaths were in Linn and Story counties.

The state reported 328 new positive cases at 11 a.m. Tuesday, for a total of 35,830 cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

Linn County reported 14 new cases for a total of 1,417 cases. The county's rolling seven-day average is currently 19. The new death brings Linn County's total to 84.

The rolling seven-day average is the average number of positive coronavirus tests in a county or state over the past seven days, updated by The Gazette at 11 a.m. every day with the new data.

Johnson County added 12 new cases, for its 28th consecutive day of double digit-increses and a total of 1,492. The county's rolling seven-day average is 24.

Polk County added 82 new cases.

Long-term care facilities that have been added to the list include Sheffield Care Center in Franklin County with four cases and Karen Acres Healthcare Center in Polk County with eight positive cases. Evans Memorial Home in Howard County, Iowa Jewish Senior Life Center in Polk County and Bethany Life in Story County all were removed from the list.

Willow Gardens Care Center in Marion reported an unchanged number of 37 cases, while recovered patients has risen to 29.

Statewide during the 24-hour period, 3,693 tests were conducted with 3,365 negative results and 328 positive results, for a 8.88% positive rate.

Here are the 10 counties with the most positive COVID-19 cases overall:

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Polk County: 7,652

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Woodbury County: 3,360

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Black Hawk County: 2,540

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Buena Vista County: 1,738

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Johnson County: 1,492

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Dallas County: 1,426

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Linn County: 1,417

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Scott County: 1,117

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Marshall County: 1,104

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Dubuque County: 1,012

These counties saw double-digit increases or more in the number of new cases in the 24-hours period:

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Polk County: 82

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Scott County: 29

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Dubuque County: 27

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Dallas County: 15

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Linn County: 14

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Woodbury County: 13

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Black Hawk County: 12

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Johnson County: 12

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Sioux County: 10

Comments: (319) 398-8372; alexandra.skores@thegazette.com

Katie Brumbeloe of The Gazette contributed to this report.