COVID-19 hospitalizations up, cases steady in Iowa in weekly coronavirus data update

The COVID-19 pandemic remains steady in Iowa, according to recent data from the Iowa Department of Public Health and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that shows virtually no change in the number of new reported cases compared to last week.

The state health department reported 3,980 new COVID-19 cases in Iowa over the past week — just eight fewer than the week prior. In fact, for the past four weeks, the number of new reported COVID-19 cases has only varied within a range of about 70 cases per week. Throughout that stretch, Iowa has averaged about 567 new cases per day.

The new cases reported this week were enough to send Iowa's total case count above 800,000 since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. That means that over the past 28 months, about one of every four Iowans has tested positive for COVID-19. That number would not include people who contracted the virus but were asymptomatic and chose not to get tested, nor would it include people who did not report positive at-home tests to the state health department.

While the number of new COVID-19 cases held steady, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Iowa reached its highest point since the end of last winter's omicron-fueled surge. The federal health and human services department reported 190 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Iowa, up from 162 last week. 

There was, however, one fewer person requiring intensive care from COVID-19 complications in Iowa this week — down to 14, from 15.

The state health department reported an additional 15 COVID-19 deaths this week, although those deaths likely occurred earlier, as it takes time for the department to verify and publicly report COVID-19 deaths on its website.

The state also published its monthly update on Iowa's COVID-19 vaccination rate Tuesday. The number of Iowans who are fully vaccinated against the disease rose by two-tenths of a percentage point, to 59.1%.

While children under the age of 5 are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, the shots have not been available long enough for any significant number to become fully vaccinated.

Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that only about 1,000 children under the age of 5 have received at least one vaccination dose so far. That's less than one percent of the state's population in that age range, according to the most recent available data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The latest COVID-19 numbers in Iowa

The latest data, as of 12 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, compared to the previous Wednesday:

• Confirmed cases: 800,176, an increase of 3,980.
• Deaths: 9,703, an increase of 15.
• Percentage of Iowans who are fully vaccinated: 59.1%

How many people are hospitalized with COVID-19 in Iowa?

Note: Hospitalization data for COVID-19 is no longer available through the Iowa Department of Public Health. The data below is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The number of patients on ventilators is no longer included.

• Hospitalizations: 190, up from 162 one week ago
• Patients in intensive care: 14, down from 15

How many people in Polk and Dallas counties are vaccinated? 

In Polk County, 66.9% of residents are fully vaccinated, an increase of 0.1 percentage points from one month ago.

In Dallas County, 67.6% of residents are fully vaccinated, an increase of 0.3 percentage points.

The five counties in Iowa with the highest percentage of their population fully vaccinated as of July 6 are Johnson (70.8%), Buena Vista (68.5%), Dallas (67.6%), Polk (66.9%) and Marshall (66.4%) counties.

Tim Webber is a data visualization specialist for the Register. Reach him at twebber@registermedia.com, 515-284-8532, and on Twitter at @HelloTimWebber.