Another resident of Muscatine County has died from COVID-19, while the number of new cases increased again ahead of Christmas.
According to data published Friday morning on the State of Iowa’s COVID-19 dashboard, there were 133 positive tests in Muscatine over the last seven days with a total of 7,451 cases since the pandemic began.
The positive test rate was at 11 percent since last Friday, about where they have been since the beginning of December.
Muscatine County’s first death since mid-November pushes the total to 118 lost to the virus since March 2020.
24,073 Muscatine County residents have completed the coronavirus vaccine regiment.
Radio Iowa reported Wednesday the COVID patient count in Iowa hospitals continues to escalated.
There were 823 patients with COVID in Iowa hospitals by the middle of this week. That’s a 6% increase from last Wednesday.
More than 100 of those patients are on ventilators and nearly 83% of COVID patients in intensive care units in Iowa have not been vaccinated against the virus.
“Please look to your primary care physician for advice on how best to protect yourself and your family,” said Mayor Diana Broderson. “Please also get your questions about boosters answered by either your physician or Muscatine County Public Health, 563-263-0122.”