Iowa reported 1,688 new cases of coronavirus in the week ending Sunday, down 8.7% from the previous week. The previous week had 1,848 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Iowa ranked 39th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States decreased 16.4% from the week before, with 250,233 cases reported. With 0.95% of the country’s population, Iowa had 0.67% of the country’s cases in the last week. Across the country, eight states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
Johnson County reported 148 cases and three deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 132 cases and no deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 42,429 cases and 167 deaths.
Washington County reported 20 cases and no deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported eight cases and no deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 6,420 cases and 83 deaths.
Across Iowa, cases fell in 48 counties, with the best declines in Polk County, with 192 cases from 254 a week earlier; in Muscatine County, with 28 cases from 67; and in Des Moines County, with 31 cases from 59.
>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases
Within Iowa, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Adair County with 252 cases per 100,000 per week; Ringgold County with 245; and Audubon County with 146. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.
Adding the most new cases overall were Polk County, with 192 cases; Linn County, with 162 cases; and Johnson County, with 148. Weekly case counts rose in 43 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in Scott, Dubuque and Johnson counties.
In Iowa, 28 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 20 people were reported dead.
A total of 859,632 people in Iowa have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 10,125 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 96,952,191 people have tested positive and 1,065,109 people have died.
>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States
Iowa’s COVID-19 hospital admissions rising
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, Oct. 16. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 365
- The week before that: 237
- Four weeks ago: 315
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 50,945
- The week before that: 49,442
- Four weeks ago: 55,544
Hospitals in 23 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 21 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 29 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.
