Iowa adds 253 COVID-19 cases, one confirmed death Friday

Iowa added 253 new COVID-19 cases and one new confirmed death Friday, according to Iowa Department of Public Health data.

The additions bring the total number of people in the state who have tested positive for the virus to 369,026 and Iowa’s death toll to 5,998.

Iowa’s seven-day average for new cases is 255, the lowest it’s been since June 3, and its seven-day average for deaths is two.

VACCINATIONS

As of Friday afternoon, the number of fully vaccinated Iowans was 1,193,168, or 37.82 percent of the state’s population. That is an increase of 12,682 from Thursday.

The number of people who have been fully vaccinated within the state, non-Iowans included, was 1,241,273, up 13,036 from the day before.

The state reported 1,141,794 people have completed the Moderna or Pfizer two-shot regimen, while 99,479 people have received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The number of total doses administered in the state as of 1:30 p.m. Friday was 2,569,640.

In Linn County, 95,031 people were fully vaccinated as of Friday. That is 41.92 percent of the county’s total population.

In Johnson County, that number was 73,595, or 48.69 percent of the county’s total population.

EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration expanded eligibility for the two-dose Pfizer vaccine to include children 12 and older.

Locally, UnityPoint Health announced Friday that is now offering vaccines to youths ages 12 to 15 in the Cedar Rapids metro area.

Parents wishing to get their children vaccinated can call their child’s UnityPoint Clinic pediatrician’s office or primary care provider to schedule an appointment.

The Cedar Rapids Community School District made the Pfizer vaccine available to all high school students Friday. Students who chose to get vaccinated will receive their second dose June 4, the last day of school.

The Iowa City Community School District said it is working with Johnson County Public Health to get students who are eligible vaccinated.

NEW CASES

Linn County added 23 COVID-19 cases as of 11 a.m. Friday, bringing the county’s case to 20,869. The county’s seven-day average was 17.

Johnson County reported 12 cases for a county total of 14,484 and a seven-day average of nine.

Fifty-nine of the new cases were among children up to age 17, bringing the total in that age group to 44,018.

CONFIRMED DEATHS

The one confirmed death reported Friday was in Chickasaw County on April 12. The person was over the age of 80.

HOSPITALIZATIONS

Across the state, virus hospitalizations dropped from 162 to 151 during the 24-hour period ending at 11 a.m. Friday.

The number of intensive-care patients dipped from 42 to 41, and the number of patients on ventilators remained at 19, the same as Thursday.

LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES

One long-term care facility in Iowa is continuing to experience a COVID-19 outbreak. An outbreak is considered three or more cases among a facility’s residents and staff.

Risen Son Christian Village in Pottawattamie County was added to the outbreak list Wednesday and, as of Friday, is reporting 10 positive virus cases.

To date, 2,335 people in these long-term care facilities have died as the result of COVID-19, accounting for roughly 39 percent of the state’s death toll.

Comments: (319) 398-8238; kat.russell@thegazette.com.

Katie Brumbeloe of The Gazette contributed to this report.