For the first time since the pandemic began in Iowa two years ago, area hospitals are reporting having zero COVID-19 patients on certain days as the latest coronavirus surge continues to wind down in Iowa.
However, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state ticked up to 74 people in the past week, up from the previous week’s total of 67, according to federal data.
That compares to the seven-day peak of 991 hospitalizations reported Jan. 19 during the height of the omicron surge.
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The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care also ticked up to 15 in the past seven days, compared to 11 in the previous week.
But reaching zero COVID-19 patients, even for one day, marks a major milestone for health care providers who have been on the front lines of the pandemic for the past two years.
Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids first saw zero COVID-19 patients on March 25, officials told The Gazette. The hospital still had no COVID-19 patients as of Wednesday.
UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids reached zero COVID-19 patients for the first time on Monday before admitting three patients with COVID-19 Tuesday.
Mercy Hospital in Iowa City has had zero COVID patients from March 15 through March 24, officials reported. As of Wednesday, it had one infected patient.
The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, the state’s largest hospital, has yet to reach zero COVID-19 patients. On Wednesday, the hospital had six adult and one pediatric COVID-19 patients.
The number of new COVID-19 cases in Iowa continued to drop in the past week, totaling 478 in the past seven days, compared to the 720 reported the previous week, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.
Linn County reported 56 new cases in the past week, down from the 82 reported the previous week and 125 reported the week before. Since March 2020, 51,948 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the county.
Johnson County added 43 new cases, an increase from the 37 reported the previous week but down from the 78 cases reported two weeks ago. Since March 2020, 33,934 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the county.
As of March 24, the COVID-19 transmission level for all 99 Iowa counties were in the “low” category, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under federal guidelines, people living in areas rated as medium or low no longer need to wear masks indoors or in public spaces.
Forty-three COVID-related deaths were confirmed in Iowa in the past week, down from the previous week’s 53 confirmed deaths.
Since March 2020, 9,445 people have died from COVID-19 in Iowa.
Linn County reported one death in the past seven days, bringing the death toll to 578.
Johnson County also confirmed one death in the past week, bringing the county’s COVID-19 death toll to 150.
An additional 2,222 Iowans and non-Iowans completed their COVID-19 vaccine series this week, bringing the number of those fully vaccinated to 1,909,193 as of Wednesday.
According to the CDC, 61.5 percent of the state’s total population and 65.6 percent of Iowans aged 5 and older are fully vaccinated.
In the past week, 4,635 Iowans received a COVID-19 booster shot, bringing the number of fully vaccinated and boosted individuals to 1,014,051.
In Linn County, 66.3 percent of the total county population and 70.7 percent of residents aged 5 and older were fully vaccinated as of this week.
Johnson County reported 72.1 percent of the total county population and 76.5 percent of those aged 5 and older were fully vaccinated.
www.thegazette.com
However, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state ticked up to 74 people in the past week, up from the previous week’s total of 67, according to federal data.
That compares to the seven-day peak of 991 hospitalizations reported Jan. 19 during the height of the omicron surge.
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The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care also ticked up to 15 in the past seven days, compared to 11 in the previous week.
But reaching zero COVID-19 patients, even for one day, marks a major milestone for health care providers who have been on the front lines of the pandemic for the past two years.
Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids first saw zero COVID-19 patients on March 25, officials told The Gazette. The hospital still had no COVID-19 patients as of Wednesday.
UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids reached zero COVID-19 patients for the first time on Monday before admitting three patients with COVID-19 Tuesday.
Mercy Hospital in Iowa City has had zero COVID patients from March 15 through March 24, officials reported. As of Wednesday, it had one infected patient.
The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, the state’s largest hospital, has yet to reach zero COVID-19 patients. On Wednesday, the hospital had six adult and one pediatric COVID-19 patients.
The number of new COVID-19 cases in Iowa continued to drop in the past week, totaling 478 in the past seven days, compared to the 720 reported the previous week, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.
Linn County reported 56 new cases in the past week, down from the 82 reported the previous week and 125 reported the week before. Since March 2020, 51,948 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the county.
Johnson County added 43 new cases, an increase from the 37 reported the previous week but down from the 78 cases reported two weeks ago. Since March 2020, 33,934 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the county.
As of March 24, the COVID-19 transmission level for all 99 Iowa counties were in the “low” category, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under federal guidelines, people living in areas rated as medium or low no longer need to wear masks indoors or in public spaces.
Deaths
Forty-three COVID-related deaths were confirmed in Iowa in the past week, down from the previous week’s 53 confirmed deaths.
Since March 2020, 9,445 people have died from COVID-19 in Iowa.
Linn County reported one death in the past seven days, bringing the death toll to 578.
Johnson County also confirmed one death in the past week, bringing the county’s COVID-19 death toll to 150.
Vaccinations
An additional 2,222 Iowans and non-Iowans completed their COVID-19 vaccine series this week, bringing the number of those fully vaccinated to 1,909,193 as of Wednesday.
According to the CDC, 61.5 percent of the state’s total population and 65.6 percent of Iowans aged 5 and older are fully vaccinated.
In the past week, 4,635 Iowans received a COVID-19 booster shot, bringing the number of fully vaccinated and boosted individuals to 1,014,051.
In Linn County, 66.3 percent of the total county population and 70.7 percent of residents aged 5 and older were fully vaccinated as of this week.
Johnson County reported 72.1 percent of the total county population and 76.5 percent of those aged 5 and older were fully vaccinated.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa City hospitals have empty COVID wards
COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide increased slightly this week, but the virus has slowed enough in the past month for area hospitals to reach a milestone in the pandemic. In some cases, that watershed only lasted for a day.
www.thegazette.com
