Yesterday was the first day with more than 70,000 new US Covid-19 cases in three months in the United States, and the hospitalization rate is soaring, new data reveal. Thursday was also the highest day for new infections since July 24 and the day with the fourth-highest total ever, at 71,671, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Thirty-two states reported rising Covid-19 infections.
More than 41,000 people were hospitalized across the country, according to the Covid Tracking Project. The state's coronavirus tracking website says Iowa currently has 536 hospitalizations because of Covid 19. Today there are an additional 1,581 new cases. More than 86 thousand Iowans have tested positive for the coronavirus, and more than 16 hundred have died.
Siouxland District Health says today there have been 77 cases added to the total case count in the last 24 hours. So far, no new deaths have been reported. The total deaths from COVID-19 in Woodbury County stand at 94. There are 73 people hospitalized in the county with the coronavirus, and 44 are from Woodbury County.
The Kind World Foundation has generously donated $15,000 to the Friends of Sioux City Police Department to help fight the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The donation allows for the purchase of masks to distribute in the community and the production of new window clings, encouraging masks throughout the community. The cling, which reads "Masks Encouraged, Keep Siouxland Safe," is available to all businesses now. See the attached press release to learn where to pick up the complimentary window clings.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe is locking down the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation today in response to a surging number of COVID-19 cases in the state. The lockdown begins at 10 p.m. Friday and lasts until 6 a.m. Oct. 30. During that time, all non-critical travel is barred. The tribe said non-essential businesses should close to the public, and travel to non-essential work to or from the reservation should stop.
Saturday is the deadline for Iowans to request an absentee ballot. County auditors must have your request in their office by then. More than 807,000 Iowa voters have already requested an absentee ballot. Almost 800,000 of those ballots have been sent out to voters.
More than half a million of those ballots have already been filled out and returned to their county auditor's office.