The number of patients being treated in Iowa hospitals for COVID-19 declined again Sunday, but has yet to drop even to worst level of last summer’s surge.
In a 24-hour period ending at 11 a.m. Sunday, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped from 549 to 541. Patients in intensive care also went down, from 110 to 105, as did the number of patients on ventilators — from 47 to 41.
Although that continues a downward trajectory from an alarming record of 1,527 COVID-19 hospitalizations Nov. 18, it remains higher than the worst of last summer when there were 417 patients May 7.
A post-holiday surge that has overwhelmed hospitals in some other states has not been seen in Iowa now more than two weeks after Christmas. However, the state Sunday confirmed 11 additional deaths caused by the coronavirus. The new deaths bring to 4,138 the number of Iowans who have died from the disease in under a year.
Adair and Polk counties each reported two deaths. Black Hawk, Buena Vista, Dubuque, Louisa, Scott, Union and Washington counties each recorded one death.
Of the new deaths, six were of people over 80 years old; four were of people between 61 and 80; and one was of a person between 41 and 60, according to state public health officials.
Iowa added 1,086 new virus cases for a total of 296,439 since March.
Of the new cases, Linn County added 50 for a total of 17,298. Johnson County added 64 cases for a total of 11,674.
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The new positive cases in the 24-hour period were based on results of 3,183 individual tests, according to state data.
