Seventeen more Iowans have died of complications of COVID-1 in a 24-hour period. There were almost 600 new positive cases of the novel coronavirus.
There have been 1,485 deaths since the start of the pandemic with 50% living in long-term care facilities. There are currently outbreaks at 58 long-term care facilities in Iowa, including 13 in Siouxland.
There are 463 hospitalized patients with the virus in the state with 69 at Sioux City’s two hospitals.
Sixteen Iowa counties had a 14-day positivity rate at, or above 15%. This is one critieria for school districts to apply for online-learning only. Sioux County is number one with more than 24%. There are a total of six northwest Iowa counties above the 15% threshold, including Woodbury with a rate of 15.3%.
Siouxland District health is tracking more than 30 new cases of the novel coronavirus with 6,420 in all and 81 deaths.
Dakota County reports four new cases for 2,425 in all and 44 deaths.
There are 522 positive cases in Union County and 10 deaths.
The number of students and staff members impacted by COVID-19 has fallen substantially at Morningside College. There are a total of five new students and staff members to tested positive between October 5th through the 11th. That is less than half of new cases from the week before. Twenty-two are in isolation/quarantine on and off campus. Last week there were almost 90. Morningside College puts out weekly rates every Tuesday.
The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus and the rate of new cases remains high in Nebraska. The state said today almost 300 people were hospitalized with COVID-19. That’s just under the record of 305 people set last weekend but well above the spring peak of 232 set on May 27.
An Associated Press analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University shows the state continues to have the seventh-highest rate of new cases. The seven-day rolling average of the positivity rate in Nebraska declined slightly over the past two weeks, going from 13.22% on Sept. 28 to 13.08% on Monday.South Dakota tourism officials estimate the Mount Rushmore Independence Day event last July generated $2 million in direct spending for the state’s economy. Deputy tourism director Wanda Goodman recently told the state Tourism Advisory Board the July 3 event also generated $22 million in advertising value for South Dakota because of media coverage. President Donald Trump was present for the celebration in the Black Hills when attendees signed up for a ticket lottery. The cost to stage the event, including $350,000 for fireworks, was about $1.5 million.
