Iowa COVID-19 cases rise for sixth week in a row

COVID-19 cases in Iowa are up for a sixth consecutive week, with 3,704 new cases reported in the past week.

That number represents a 6.8 percent increase over the previous week’s total of 3,469 new cases. The actual total is likely much higher, given the availability of at-home test kits, the results of which are not reported to the state.

In Linn County, 311 COVID-19 cases were reported in the past week, down from 329 reported the previous week. The county has recorded 62,848 cases since March 2020, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Johnson County added 165 cases last week, up one from 164 the previous week. The county has recorded 43,646 cases since the start of the pandemic.

To date, 880,770 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Iowa since the pandemic first was detected in the state in March 2020.

Hospitalizations

Hospitalizations from the virus increased to 256, up from 255 the previous week.

The number of patients in Iowa intensive care units decreased from 17 to 16.

Deaths

The state confirmed 27 deaths from COVID-19 in the past week, including four in Linn County. The previous week, the state reported 22 deaths.

Since March 2020, 10,343 Iowans have died from COVID-19. That number includes 643 deaths in Linn County.

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