Iowa surpasses 6,000 COVID-19 deaths

Iowa recorded six new COVID-19 deaths on Sunday, reaching 6,006 total deaths because of the virus since the start of the pandemic.

While the deaths surpassed another grim milestone, the seven-day average of cases hit 237, the lowest since April 20, 2020, and a continued drop for the fourth consecutive day.

Vaccinations

More Iowans continue to get vaccinated, with 1,216,851 Iowans fully vaccinated as of 1:30 p.m. Sunday. According to Iowa Department of Public Health data analyzed by The Gazette, 38.57% are fully vaccinated, and 45.47% of Iowans 12 and older are fully vaccinated

In Linn County, 96,483 residents are fully vaccinated, up 507 in the 24-hour period. Of Linn residents 16 and older, 53.47% are vaccinated, and 42.56% of the total county population is vaccinated.

In Johnson County, the 16 and older population just passed 60% fully vaccinated. There are 74,781 residents fully vaccinated — 49.48% of the total population — up 431 from Saturday.

Nationwide, 37.56% of Americans are fully vaccinated, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University's Coronavirus Resource Center.

New cases

In a 24-hour period ending at noon Sunday, Iowa added 136 new cases for a total of 369,355 confirmed cases of the disease since the start of the pandemic.

Linn County added 13 of those cases in the 24-hour period, for a total so far of 20,904. Johnson County added six of the cases for a total of 14,495.

One new case was added in the period for adults in the education occupation category. However, 34 cases — nearly 25 percent of all new cases — were added among children age 17 and younger, according to state data.

Deaths

Of the six new deaths confirmed by the state Sunday, four were among people over 80, one between the ages of 61 and 80, and another among the 41 to 60 age group.

Two of those deaths were in Polk County, and one death each was recorded in Dubuque, Muscatine, Scott and Warren counties.

Nationwide, there are 585,944 deaths, according to the data collected by Johns Hopkins University.

Hospitalizations

The number of patients being treated for COVID-19 in Iowa hospitals dropped from 147 to 145 in the 24-hour period. The number of patients in intensive care remained unchanged at 42, while the number of virus patients placed on ventilators increased from 19 to 20.

John McGlothlen of The Gazette contributed to this report.