Iowa passes 2,000 COVID-19 deaths as pace accelerates

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa surpassed 2,000 confirmed deaths from the coronavirus Tuesday, as the number of residents succumbing to the virus continues to rapidly increase.

Iowa marked 1,000 deaths from the virus on Aug. 19, five months into the pandemic.

But it took less than three months for the state to reach 2,000 deaths, and the 3,000-mark will be reached far quicker under current trends.

Data from Johns Hopkins University shows that the state has been averaging more than 20 deaths per day over the last week. That’s triple the rate from just two months ago.

With cases skyrocketing and hospitals filling up, daily deaths appear likely to increase further in the short term.

Roughly 3 of 4 of the 2,023 people who have died have been age 70 or older. A majority were men, and nearly half were residents of long-term care facilities. About five dozen have been under the age of 50.