With 40 COVID-19 deaths reported, Iowa sees largest one-day increase so far
With record hospitalizations and nearly 300 patients in ICUs, Iowa on Wednesday reported its largest one-day increase in COVID-19 deaths.
At 10 a.m. Wednesday, the state was reporting 2,064 COVID-19-related deaths, an increase of 40 deaths since the state's tally at 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to the state's Coronavirus.Iowa.gov website.
COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Additionally, the state was reporting 194,479 confirmed cases of coronavirus, an increase of 3,896 since 10 a.m. Tuesday.
On Tuesday, 1,527 people were hospitalized in Iowa, up from 1,510 on Monday, according to the latest data available from the state. Hospitals admitted 234 patients, up from 215. The state updates its website each evening with that day's hospitalization data.
There were 283 patients in the ICU, down from 288 the day prior. While ICU numbers were down slightly, there were 134 patients on ventilators, up from 130 the day prior.
Increases in COVID-19 hospitalizations typically lead to increases in COVID-19 deaths later. Although Iowa has yet to surpass October's record number of deaths — 389 — the state is on pace to do so later this month.
More:Iowa's COVID-19 deaths exceed 2,000 as coronavirus infections accelerate
Iowa has already surpassed October's final mark of 41,934 coronavirus cases. The state on pace to exceed 100,000 cases by November's end.
The total number of people tested is 1,123,465, according to the state. Of the people who have tested positive, 111,288 have recovered.
The daily numbers
The latest data as of 10 a.m. Wednesday, compared to 10 a.m. Tuesday:
- Confirmed cases: 194,479, an increase of 3,896
- Deaths: 2,064, an increase of 40
- Hospitalizations: 1,527, up from 1,510
- Patients in ICU: 283, down from 288
- Patients on ventilators: 134, up from 130
- Total tested: 1,123,465
- Total recovered: 111,288
More: COVID-19 maps and charts track cases and data in Iowa and across the U.S.
On Wednesday, the state was reporting 17.3% positive since the pandemic started. Iowa's 14-day average was 22.5% positive, according to the state.
Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a broad mask mandate for Iowans on Monday, as well as other restrictions aimed at reining in the accelerating spread of the novel coronavirus. The new mandate requires people to wear masks if in public indoor spaces and unable to maintain safe social distance from non-household members for 15 minutes or more. It went into effect at midnight Tuesday.
The mandate includes several exemptions, including for people eating or drinking at bars and restaurants, for those with medical conditions or disabilities that prevent wearing face coverings, and for those participating in religious services.
Iowans unclear about the mask requirement in Reynolds' latest public health proclamation should "err on the side of caution" and mask up, she said at a news conference Tuesday.
Of Iowa's 99 counties, 93 had a 14-day positivity rate above 15% on Wednesday. The other six counties were reporting between 10% and 15%. Polk County, the state's most populous, was at 20.1%.
The state calculates the positivity rate by dividing the number of individuals who tested positive over the past 14 days by the total number of individuals who were tested in total over those 14 days.
The Des Moines Register uses data from the Iowa Department of Public Health to report daily totals of Iowans tested for the coronavirus and Iowans who have tested positive for the virus, as of 10 a.m. each day. Since the pandemic began in spring, the state has made changes and corrections to how it reports that data and the data does not always agree with numbers reported from other sources.
Iowa Mourns:Does anybody care about Iowa's COVID-19 dead? We do, and we're telling their stories.
Iowa Mourns:The Iowans we've lost to COVID-19
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