Number of new weekly COVID cases continue to drop in north-central Iowa, hospitalizations slightly up

MASON CITY — For the second straight week, the number of reported new COVID-19 cases in north-central Iowa has dropped.

According to new data from the Iowa Department of Public Health, 1003 new cases were reported in the last week in the KGLO News listening area of Cerro Gordo and the eight surrounding counties, compared to 1522 new cases the previous week. In Cerro Gordo County, there were 315 new cases reported, compared to 444 new cases in the previous week.

The 7-day test positivity rate for the combined nine-county listening area dropped from 18.3% last week to 13.9% this week, while the 14-day rate dropped from 19.8 to 16.4%.  Cerro Gordo County’s 7-day rate dropped from 20.5 to 17% while the 14-day rate is down from 22.5 to 19.1%.

Five new deaths were reported in north-central Iowa in the last week, three new deaths in Cerro Gordo County with the others being in Franklin and Wright, bringing the area’s death toll since the start of the pandemic to 503.

In the north-central Iowa medical region, 35 people are currently hospitalized, up from 31 last week. Six patients are in an intensive care unit. 21 of those 35 were not fully vaccinated.