FIRST STRAIN OF CORONAVIRUS. THE NE VARIANT OF COVID-19 WAS RECENTLY REPORTED IN COLORADO. EXPERTS SAY CASES ARE IN CALIFORNIA AND FLORIDA. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VIRUS CHANGES SEQUENCES WITHIN THEIR GENOME. >> THESE CHANGES IN SEQUENCE ARE COMMON. THEY HAPPEN WITH ALL VIRUSES, AND THAT IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE MAY BE VARIABLE. LAUREN IN THIS CASE, THE VARIABLE HAS MADE THE VIRUS EVEN MORE CONTAGIOUS. >> IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER RISK OF HOSPITALIZATION OR DEATH. LAUREN WHICH COMES THIS PROMISING NEWS, AND IT ALSO APPEARS THAT COVID-19 TESTING CAN ALSO PICK UP ON THE VARIANT AS WELL. >> WE USUALLY CHECK FOR MORE THAN ONE TARGET WITHIN THE VIRUS. WE EXPECT THAT OUR CURRENT TEST WILL PICK UP THIS VARIANT JUST AS THEY DO THE REGULAR TEST. LAUREN AS FOR THE VACCINE, IT SHOULD WORK AGAINST THE MUTATION. >> THE RESPONSE THAT IS GENERATED BY THE VACCINE INVOLVES ATTACKING DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SPIKE APPROACHING IN THE VIRUS, SO IT’S NOT JUST — SPIKE PROTEIN IN TH VIRUS, SO IT’S NOT JUST ONE TARGET. ALL MANUFACTURERS HAVE SAID THEY ARE TESTING THIS NEW VARIANT AGAINS
Iowa’s COVID-19 positivity rates are climbing once again
Updated: 9:57 AM CST Jan 2, 2021
Iowa Department of Public Health data shows Iowa’s COVID-19 positivity rates are climbing again after showing declines through the month of December.The health department on Saturday reported 707 new positive COVID-19 cases and 48 additional deaths. As of 10 a.m., the health department reported 283,144 total positive cases, 243,217 total recoveries and 3,946 total deaths since the start of the pandemic. The health department reported 282,437 total cases and 3,898 total deaths 24 hours earlier. Of Iowa’s 3,946 deaths, 3,621 list COVID-19 as the underlying cause, while 325 list it as a contributing factor.All TestIowa sites were closed Friday for the holiday. They will reopen and resume testing Monday. State data shows 1,361,709 Iowans have been tested for the virus, while 3,102,309 tests have been administered. Iowa’s positivity rates have been increasing over the past few days. The state’s 14-day positivity rate is 12.8%, up from 12.7% the previous day. The state’s 7-day positivity rate climbed from 11.5% to 11.7%. The number of counties reporting a 14-day positivity rate greater than 15% is also on the rise. Forty-three of Iowa’s 99 counties now report a rate at 15% or higher. That’s four more counties than the previous day.Iowa’s virus hospitalizations continue to show steady decline. There are currently 572 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, a decrease of three over the previous 24 hours. The number of patients admitted in the last 24 hours increased from 83 to 88. There are 119 patients listed in intensive care and 60 patients on ventilators. The state reports approximately 3,210 hospital beds, 359 ICU beds and 891 ventilators available. Hospitalization analysis shows 387 patients had a primary COVID-19 diagnosis, while 185 were hospitalized for another reason but tested positive. State data shows 70% of those hospitalized are 60 or older. Fewer long-term care facilities report COVID-19 outbreaks in Iowa. There are now 107 facilities reporting outbreaks, down from 109 a day earlier. There are 4,487 positive cases and 3,030 recoveries reported within those facilities. Iowa reports 1,139 deaths in long-term care facilities.The Iowa Department of Public Health provides COVID-19 data in real time on this website. KCCI publishes a summary of the data each day at 10 a.m.
DES MOINES, Iowa —
Iowa Department of Public Health data shows Iowa’s COVID-19 positivity rates are climbing again after showing declines through the month of December.
The health department on Saturday reported 707 new positive COVID-19 cases and 48 additional deaths. As of 10 a.m., the health department reported 283,144 total positive cases, 243,217 total recoveries and 3,946 total deaths since the start of the pandemic. The health department reported 282,437 total cases and 3,898 total deaths 24 hours earlier. Of Iowa’s 3,946 deaths, 3,621 list COVID-19 as the underlying cause, while 325 list it as a contributing factor.
All TestIowa sites were closed Friday for the holiday. They will reopen and resume testing Monday.
State data shows 1,361,709 Iowans have been tested for the virus, while 3,102,309 tests have been administered. Iowa’s positivity rates have been increasing over the past few days. The state’s 14-day positivity rate is 12.8%, up from 12.7% the previous day. The state’s 7-day positivity rate climbed from 11.5% to 11.7%.
The number of counties reporting a 14-day positivity rate greater than 15% is also on the rise. Forty-three of Iowa’s 99 counties now report a rate at 15% or higher. That’s four more counties than the previous day.
Iowa’s virus hospitalizations continue to show steady decline. There are currently 572 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, a decrease of three over the previous 24 hours. The number of patients admitted in the last 24 hours increased from 83 to 88. There are 119 patients listed in intensive care and 60 patients on ventilators. The state reports approximately 3,210 hospital beds, 359 ICU beds and 891 ventilators available.
Hospitalization analysis shows 387 patients had a primary COVID-19 diagnosis, while 185 were hospitalized for another reason but tested positive. State data shows 70% of those hospitalized are 60 or older.
Fewer long-term care facilities report COVID-19 outbreaks in Iowa. There are now 107 facilities reporting outbreaks, down from 109 a day earlier. There are 4,487 positive cases and 3,030 recoveries reported within those facilities. Iowa reports 1,139 deaths in long-term care facilities.
The Iowa Department of Public Health provides COVID-19 data in real time on this website. KCCI publishes a summary of the data each day at 10 a.m.