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Most of Iowa now has ‘low’ COVID infection risk

Virus Outbreak Iowa Schools
Posted at 1:27 PM, Oct 06, 2022
and last updated 2022-10-06 14:27:31-04

About two-thirds of Iowa has a low risk of infection by the coronavirus as newly reported cases in the state — and nationwide — continue to decline, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The state’s infection rate declined at least 11% this past week, state health officials reported Wednesday. But the number of infected people receiving inpatient treatment at Iowa hospitals is higher than a week ago.

There were 196 people with COVID-19 hospitalized on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That’s an increase from 179 a week ago. Of those currently hospitalized, 16 are under intensive care.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reported 1,853 new infections among those not previously infected on Wednesday.

The total possible new infections might have been 2,312, based on state testing data. In its reports, the state does not include reinfections of previously infected people in the case counts it reports to the CDC. Still, there was a 15% decline in total positive tests from last week.

The state also reported 20 new deaths among those infected, for a total of 10,097 since the start of the pandemic.

For the first time in months, none of the state’s counties has a high risk of infection, according to the CDC, which analyzes infection and hospitalization data to guide residents about what precautions to take against infection. Counties are rated low, medium and high. On Wednesday, there were 32 counties of medium risk of infection, mainly in north-central Iowa and eastern Iowa.

The current rate of infection in Iowa is about one-fifth of what it was last year at this time, according to the New York Times. The nation’s infection rate has been declining since late July.

Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.

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