New COVID cases down, deaths up, in past week in Iowa

The number of new COVID cases in Iowa dropped for the sixth consecutive week to 1,718, down from last week’s 1,853 new cases, according to numbers released Wednesday.

To date, 859,502 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Iowa since the pandemic arrived in the state in March 2020, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. The actual total is likely higher, given the availability of at-home test kits, which are not reported to the state.

Linn County reported 162 new cases in the past week, down from 173 the previous week. The county has had a total of 60,912 cases since March 2020.

Johnson County added 148 new cases for the week, up from the 132 reported the previous week. Johnson County’s cases total 42,429 since March 2020.

Deaths

The state confirmed 28 deaths from the virus in the past week, including three in Johnson County and one in Linn County. Twenty deaths were reported last week.

Statewide, 10,125 people have died of COVID-19 in Iowa since the pandemic began. Linn County has reported 626 COVID-19 deaths and Johnson County 167 since March 2020.

Hospitalizations

The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 decreased to 174 in the past week — the lowest total since the end of June — and down from last week’s 196.

The number of patients in intensive care units, though, increased from 16 to 26 in the past week.

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