Linn County coronavirus death total hits 90

By: Gage Miskimen Aug. 22, 2020 1:13 pm Updated: Aug. 22, 2020 1:13 pm

Thirteen more Iowans have died, including one person from Linn County, due to COVID-19 in the 24-hour period ending at 11 a.m. Saturday.

This latest death brings the county's total to 90 since the outbreak began in March.

Following Friday's record 878 positive virus cases, according to Iowa Department of Public Health data analyzed by The Gazette, 787 new positive cases were recorded as of Saturday morning.

Linn and Johnson counties both saw double-digit increases on Saturday, with 29 new positive cases in Linn and 66 in Johnson - the latter's third-highest increase ever as students return to the University of Iowa campus for classes.

Saturday's new numbers bring the positive case total in Iowa to 55,496 and the total number of deaths to 1,030.

The state's daily positivity rate was 14.28 percent on Saturday after 5,513 new tests.

Wapello County recorded four additional deaths, Black Hawk and Polk counties had two each, and Clay, Dubuque, Mahaska and Scott counties each reported one new death due to COVID-19.

The daily hospitalization rate continues to decrease, down 25 in the 24-hour period, to 268. Intensive-care unit patients were down two, to 79, but patients on ventilators were up two, to 34.

The top 10 counties in total cases were:

1. Polk - 11,577

2. Woodbury - 3,903

3. Black Hawk - 3,491

4. Linn - 2,702

5. Johnson - 2,389

6. Dallas - 2,076

7. Scott - 1,972

8. Dubuque - 1,890

9. Buena Vista - 1,811

10. Marshall - 1,560.

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