March 28, 2024

Iowa virus cases lead to rise in hospitalizations, ICU cases

DES MOINES (AP) — Hospitalizations, people in intensive care and deaths from COVID-19 are all up, according to the data posted Wednesday by Iowa public health officials.

The Iowa Department of Public Health data said 544 people are hospitalized with the coronavirus, including 123 who are in intensive care. The latest report listed 102 deaths, which the agency said occurred between Sept. 15 and Nov. 11.

The state is now reporting 7,268 deaths. Iowa is 15th in the nation for the death rate in the past week with 3.1 deaths per 100,000 people.

The data show that Iowa is like other Midwestern states in experiencing an uptick in coronavirus activity.

All Iowa counties remain in the high rate of community spread category. Case numbers this month have steadily increased and the seven-day moving average of daily cases as of Nov. 15 was 1,270. Iowa’s COVID-19 case rate in the past week is 18th in the nation, according CDC data.

Iowa officials said 21% of cases in the past week were among children age 17 or younger.

The state is 24th in the nation in the percentage of state population fully vaccinated with 56.2%.

About 9.7% of Iowa children aged 11-15 have received a dose of vaccine. Iowa Department of Public Health spokeswoman Sarah Ekstrand said 27,513 pediatric doses have been administered in Iowa through Tuesday. The state had earlier estimated Iowa has about 284,000 children in the 11-15 age group.

Nationally, the White House said Wednesday about 10% of children in that age group have received a shot.