Iowa sees big drop in new COVID-19 cases

Iowa reported a significant drop in new COVID-19 cases in the past week as the state enters its third year of the pandemic.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 1,746 new coronavirus cases in the past seven days, a major decline from the 6,809 cases reported the previous week, according to data released Wednesday.

This major shift comes as Iowa emerges from the omicron surge, which peaked Jan. 19 with 38,574 new cases reported in one week.

Linn County reported 133 new cases in the past week, compared to 238 reported the previous week.

Johnson County added 94 new cases in the past week compared to 162 reported the previous week.

As of March 3, the COVID-19 transmission level for Linn and Johnson counties and their surrounding counties remain at “medium,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Under new federal guidelines, people living in areas rated as medium or lower no longer need to wear masks indoors or in public spaces.

Hospitalizations

The state reported 154 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the past week, down from the 202 reported last week.

That compares to the weekly peak of 991 hospitalizations reported Jan. 19.

COVID-19 patients in intensive care totaled 35 in the past seven days, up from the 31 reported last week.

Deaths

The state public health department confirmed 91 new deaths as a result of COVID-19 in the past seven days, compared to the 86 deaths reported last week.

In total, the state’s death toll is 9,262 since the pandemic began two years ago.

Linn County reported seven deaths this week, bringing its total to 567.

Johnson County confirmed one death in the past seven days, bringing the countywide death toll to 140.

Polk County reported 13 deaths, bringing its overall total to 1,066, almost twice the total in Linn County, which has the second most virus deaths in the state.

Vaccinations

With 4,151 additional individuals completing their vaccine series in the past week, the number of fully vaccinated residents and non-residents in Iowa now stands at 1,901,169.

That’s 61.3 percent of the state’s population and 65.3 percent of Iowans aged 5 and over, according to the CDC.

The number of fully vaccinated individuals with a COVID-19 booster shot surpassed 1 million in Iowa this week — 1,000,48. That includes the 5,785 individuals who received their booster shot in the past week.

Linn County reported 66.1 percent of the entire county population is fully vaccinated, as are 70.5 percent of residents age 5 and older.

In Johnson County, 71.9 percent of the county’s entire population and 76.3 percent of those aged 5 and older are fully vaccinated.

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John McGlothlen of The Gazette contributed to this report.