New weekly COVID cases in north-central Iowa continue to rise

MASON CITY — The number of new weekly cases of COVID-19 in north-central Iowa continues to be on the rise.

According to the new weekly data from the Iowa Department of Public Health, 1699 new coronavirus cases were identified in the last week in the KGLO News listening area of Cerro Gordo and the eight surrounding counties, compared to 1491 new cases the week before. In Cerro Gordo County, 598 new cases were reported last week, about 100 higher than the previous week.

The 7-day and 14-day test positivity rates were also up when compared to last week. The listening area’s 7-day rate went up from 19.7 to 21.6%, while the 14-day rate is up from 16.6 to 20.1%. 56% of the new cases in the last seven days in the listening area are people under the age of 40.

Cerro Gordo County’s seven-day positivity rate went up from 21.5 to 23.9%, or just slightly lower than one in every four tests coming back positive, while the 14-day rate went up from 18.4 to 22.1%. Wright County continues to have the highest seven-day positivity rate in the listening area at 29.6%, or almost three out of every ten tests coming back positive.

Four new COVID-related deaths were recorded in the listening area in the last week, with two in Wright County and single deaths in Franklin and Worth. That brings the listening area’s death total since the start of the pandemic to 488.

While the number of people hospitalized in the state continues to be high, the numbers in north-central Iowa hospitals have slightly declined in the last week, going from 39 to 34. Three patients are in an intensive care unit. 21 of the 34 patients were not fully vaccinated.