On Friday, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported the largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases since the virus was first confirmed in the state in early March. A total of 879 residents tested positive during the 24-hour period ending at 10 a.m. on Friday.
The previous record for one-day increases was 757 cases, reported by IDPH on May 2. The state has had five different days when more than 700 cases were reported, but this is the first day of more than 800 cases.
The statewide positivity rate — the percentage of people tested who were confirmed as having COVID-19 — from 10 a.m. on Thursday to 10 a.m. on Friday statewide was 9.4 percent. A total of 9,315 people were tested.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iowa is now 37,616, according to IDPH.
IDPH also reported that five more Iowans have died, increasing the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 782, as of 10 a.m. on Friday. One of the deaths was a Johnson County resident and one was a Linn County resident.
Deaths spiked on Thursday when IDPH reported 18 Iowans had died. The last time more than 18 deaths were reported in a single day was on June 2 with 20 deaths. IDPH told the Des Moines Register that this was due to a nursing home in Cerro Gordo County not reporting deaths properly. Eight of the 18 deaths were Cerro Gordo County residents who died between July 8 and July 15.
Johnson County has now had a month of consecutive double-digit increases since the current surge began on June 17. IDPH reported another 41 residents tested positive during the 24-hour period, bringing the county to 1,593 total cases.
The county’s positivity rate from 10 a.m. on Thursday to 10 a.m. on Friday was 8.7 percent.
Linn County has now surpassed 1,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19. IDPH reported another 35 Linn County residents tested positive for the virus as of 10 a.m. on Friday, bringing the total number of cases to 1,505.
The county’s positivity rate during the 24-hour period was 5.7 percent.
This is Linn County’s fifth day of consecutive double-digit increases. The county also had five days of consecutive double-digit increases earlier in the month. The county’s highest streak of consecutive double-digit increases happened in early April with 10 days, followed by eight days of double-digit increases at the end of April.
