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Iowa reports highest share of positive COVID-19 tests in a month
Jul. 6, 2020 2:58 pm
The percentage of daily positive COVID-19 tests in Iowa reached over 10 percent for the first time in more than a month.
The state public health department reported 412 new positive cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours ending 11 a.m. Monday, making up 11.44 percent of 3,601 total test results. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in a news conference last week noted Iowa's steady less-than-ten-percent positivity rate as why Iowa was showing 'positive signs of recovery.” The total number of test results, however, is down from previous days - on Sunday, 4,180 test results were reported, with 7.88 percent positive.
One more Iowan died of COVID-19 from Pottawattamie County, bringing the statewide death toll to 722.
Iowa has seen an escalation of new COVID-19 cases over the last few weeks. On Monday, the state reported Iowa's rolling seven-day average to be 418 cases. That's an increase from 284 on average for the week ending June 20, according to state data.
A recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in the state prompted New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey to place Iowa on a travel advisory. That advisory applied to states with a 10 percent or higher positive test rate, which Iowa didn't meet at the time.
In total, 31,655 Iowans have tested positive for the virus since the first cases were reported in Johnson County March 8.
Johnson County reported 26 new positive cases of the virus, and has had double-digit increases for 20 consecutive days. But, the county's seven-day rolling average has seen a five-day decline, to 29.
Linn County, with 18 new cases has had five days of double-digit increases, and now has a seven-day rolling average of 14.
Hospitalizations in Iowa are up from 141 to 151, the highest since 163 Iowans were hospitalized June 22. The number of patients in intensive care due to COVID-19 is down - from 43 to 41, and patients on ventilators reached a new low, down from 16 on Sunday to 15 on Monday.
Comments: (319) 398-8370; sarah.watson@thegazette.com
Digital Editor John McGlothlen contributed to this report