Active COVID case count down locally, but hospitalizations up in listening area, statewide

DES MOINES — The number of active COVID-19 cases in our listening area has dropped but the number of hospitalizations has increased locally and statewide.

In the 24 hours leading up to 11 o’clock this morning, 59 more cases of COVID-19 had been reported while 72 more people have recovered. The number of active cases stands at 847, down 13 when compared to 11 o’clock on Monday morning. Cerro Gordo has 218 active cases, 172 in Kossuth, 144 in Winnebago, 115 in Wright, 52 in Hancock, 45 in Mitchell, 31 in Floyd, 25 in Butler, 23 in Worth and 22 in Franklin.

The 10-county area’s 14-day average positivity rate as of 11 o’clock this morning was 7.4%, up from 7.3% on Monday.

Looking at data for Regional Medical Coordination Center 2, which includes the 10 counties in our listening area plus Chickasaw, the number of hospitalizations is up three from Monday to 33. There’s five patients in the ICU and four are on ventilators.

Statewide the number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital is at an all-time high of 501, 21 higher than Monday. 122 patients are in the ICU with 45 on ventilators.

15 more deaths were reported statewide in the 24 hours leading up to 11 o’clock this morning for a pandemic total of 1549; 764 more cases were identified to bring the total to 108,334; 1417 more people have recovered for a total of 83,473.