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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Iowa COVID-19 cases up for fifth consecutive week
Community transmission level increases in Linn and Johnson counties
Gage Miskimen
Dec. 7, 2022 2:03 pm, Updated: Dec. 7, 2022 3:40 pm
COVID-19 cases in Iowa are up for the fifth week in a row, with 3,469 new cases reported in the past week.
That number represents a 28 percent increase over the previous week’s total of 2,700 new cases. The actual total is likely much higher, given the availability of at-home test kits, the results of which are not reported to the state.
The past week’s total is the highest number reported since Sept. 14.
Linn and Johnson counties have gone from a “low” to a “medium” community transmission level, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In Linn County, 329 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the past week, up from the 241 reported the previous week. The county has recorded 62,537 cases since March 2020, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.
In Johnson County, 164 new cases were reported in the past week, up from 106 the week before. Johnson County has reported 43,481 cases since March 2020.
To date, 877,066 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Iowa since the pandemic first was detected in the state in March 2020.
Hospitalizations
Hospitalizations from the virus increased to 255, up from 233 the previous week.
The number of patients in Iowa intensive care units decreased from 23 to 17.
Deaths
The state confirmed 22 new deaths from COVID-19 in the past week, including two in Linn County. The previous week, the state reported 18 new, confirmed deaths.
Since March 2020, 10,316 Iowans have died from COVID-19. That number includes 639 deaths in Linn County.
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