New COVID cases drop for fifth week in Iowa

The number of new COVID cases in Iowa dropped for the fifth consecutive week to 1,853, down from last week’s 2,091 cases, according to numbers released Wednesday.

In addition, no Iowa counties are now classified as having a “high” community transmission level.

To date, 857,784 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Iowa since the pandemic arrived in the state in March 2020, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. The actual total is likely higher, given the availability of at-home test kits, which are not reported to the state.

Linn County reported 173 new cases in the past week, down from 202 the previous week. Johnson County added 132 new cases, down from the previous week’s 151.

Deaths

The state confirmed 26 deaths from the virus in the past week, including one in Linn County, for a total of 10,097 deaths in Iowa since the beginning of the pandemic.

The state reported 20 COVID-19 deaths last week

Hospitalizations

The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 increased to 196 in the past week, up from last week’s total of 179. The number of patients in intensive care units, though, declined, from 27 to 16.

Comments: (319) 398-8255; gage.miskimen@thegazette.com