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Iowa’s COVID-19 hospitalizations highest since January
Kat Russell
Aug. 19, 2021 11:14 am, Updated: Aug. 19, 2021 7:50 pm
Nearly 400 people are being treated for COVID-19 in Iowa hospitals — the most since January.
According to data from the Iowa Department of Public Health released Thursday, 396 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized across the state, up from 355 the week before.
The last time the state saw similar numbers was Jan. 27 when 408 people were hospitalized.
According to the state, 43 Linn County residents were hospitalized as of Wednesday, up from two patients four weeks ago.
The only county in Iowa with more people in the hospital with COVID-19 was Polk County, with 50 hospitalized.
Statewide, the number of patients being treated in intensive care units dipped slightly in the past week, from 103 to 99, and the number of patients on ventilators dropped from 49 to 45.
Community transmission
Community transmission levels remain high in 86 Iowa counties, including all of Eastern Iowa except Winneshiek and Howard counties, and “substantial” in 12 counties, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC said only one Iowa county — Appanoose County in south-central Iowa — has moderate community spread.
New cases
Iowa reported 5,697 new cases of COVID-19 in the past week, with a seven-day average of 814 — the highest since 848 on Feb. 5.
One year ago, when vaccines were not available, the seven-day average was 532.
To date, 392,970 Iowans have been diagnosed with the virus since the pandemic began in March 2020.
Linn County added 547 new cases over the past seven days, for a seven-day average of 78 — the highest recorded since Jan. 11.
Linn County had a positivity rate of 10.31 percent over the past week, compared to the statewide positivity rate of 7.76 percent.
Johnson County added 274 new virus cases over the past seven days, for a seven-day average of 39 — the highest since Jan. 22. The county’s positivity rate was 8.24 percent.
Vaccinations
The number of fully vaccinated Iowans rose by 14,870 over the past seven days, for a total of 1,515,928.
That is 56.64 percent of Iowans over age 12 and 48.05 percent of all Iowans.
In Linn County, 1,060 residents completed a full vaccine series over the past week, bringing the fully vaccinated total to 123,229. That’s 68.29 percent of the 16-and-over population and 54.36 percent of all county residents.
In Johnson County, 461 more people became fully vaccinated over the past week, bringing the total number to 90,030. That’s 72.42 percent of the 16-and-over population and 59.57 percent of all county residents.
Deaths
Over the past week, the state confirmed 16 new COVID-19-related deaths between July 19 and Aug. 12.
Five of those who died were over the age of 80; six were between 61 and 80; four were between 41 and 60; and one was between 18 and 40.
Four deaths occurred in Black Hawk County. Linn and Polk counties had two deaths each. The counties that reported one death each were Benton, Dallas, Des Moines, Dubuque, Harrison, Henry, Marion and Scott.
So far, 6,226 Iowans have died as a result of the virus.
Comments: (319) 398-8238; kat.russell@thegazette.com.