The percentage of positive tests jumped by double-digits in Muscatine County, while more than five dozen Iowa nursing homes were reporting COVID-19 outbreaks this past week.
According to data on the State of Iowa Public Health dashboard, there were 616 positive tests reported over the seven day period ending Wednesday for a total of 9,119 since the pandemic began 22 months ago.
The positive test rate averaged 36 percent a day over the seven day period, up 12 percent from Jan. 11.
Seven patients were being treated at Trinity Muscatine for COVID-19 on the most recent update which was posted Wednesday, with four patients listed in intensive care.
Across the state of Iowa between January 14-20, there were 34,598 new cases, a rolling 7-day average of 26.2 percent of tests have been positive, and 116 deaths for a total of 8,317. 122 resident of Muscatine County have died since March 2020.
957 people were in Iowa hospitals on Friday a slight drop from the week prior. 178 were in ICU, up 4 patients from last Friday.
61.8 percent of those in the hospital are not vaccinated, along with 70.2 percent of ICU patients. Both of those numbers are down slightly from the previous week.
State data shows six out of 10 patients in an Iowa hospital on Friday were admitted for treatment of the coronavirus and about 18.5% of those COVID patients are in an intensive care unit.
Radio Iowa reports the number of Iowa hospital patients who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 has dropped by about three percent since Wednesday.
The number of Iowa nursing homes with COVID-19 outbreaks continues to rise — more than doubling in the past two weeks. Nursing home residents were at the head of the line when coronavirus vaccines became available a year ago. The AARP’s state director is calling on Iowa nursing homes to require booster shots for residents and staff.
The state’s coronavirus website shows 1.8 million Iowans are fully vaccinated — just under 60% of the state’s population.