Hunter
04/28/22
COVID-19 cases are on the rise, and Johnson County is leading the pack.
The Gazette reports that the county reported 305 new cases this past week, up from 174 the week before. The positivity rate is the highest in the state; 247 positive tests per 100,000 residents.
The figures are still much lower than the January peak during the Omicron surge, yet it’s the highest seven-day total since February 16th.
The increases are the result of a new variant called BA2. 68 percent of the new cases are identified as BA2. University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist Dan Diekema told the Gazette last week that the increases being experienced are of concern, but they’re not expanding exponentially like the Omicron variant.
Over the past week, three counties in the west central part of the state moved from the “low” transmission category to “medium.” They are Calhoun, Carroll, and Sac. The current federal guidelines say that masks are no longer required indoors or in public spaces in counties rated low or medium.
Hospitalizations went from 63 to 84 in the past week. Just six of those are in intensive care.
The Centers for Disease Control report the vaccination rate in Johnson County is 72.6 among the total county population and 77.1 percent among those age 5 and older. Johnson County is the only county in the state that has reached the 70 percent threshold.