HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID-19 FOR MONTHS ON END A CRUSH OF COVID-19 PATIENTS TESTED MEDICAL WORKERS ALL ACROSS THE STATE NEW AT SIX KCCI’S ANDREW. MULLENBECK WENT TO MERCY ONE IN DES MOINES WHERE DOCTORS AND NURSES ARE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC. AT ONE TIME ALL 18 ROOMS IN THIS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED COVID-19 ICU UNIT WERE FILLED WITH PATIENTS SOME PATIENTS EVEN HAD TAKING CARE OF IN OTHER PARTS OF THE HOSPITAL NOW THESE ROOMS ARE EMPTY AND THE COVID-19 IS CLOSED BEHIND THE NUMBERS OF PATIENTS ARE THE PEOPLE CARING FOR THEM INITIALLY IN THE SPRING. I WAS WORKING NIGHTS. LAURA STRAIN SAYS THE LAST YEAR WAS UNLIKE ANYTHING. SHE’S BEEN THROUGH IN THE PAST THESE PATIENTS WERE SICKER STAYED LONGER. EMOTIONALLY IT WAS VERY TAXING WATCHING PATIENTS DIE NOT HAVING THEIR LOVED ONES BE WITH THEM THE WHOLE I’M LIKE WE’RE ACCUSTOMED TO WE KNOW THAT’S WHAT’S BEST FOR OUR PATIENTS. BUT IT JUST WASN’T SAFE AT THE PEAK MORE THAN 1500 PEOPLE IN IOWA WHERE HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID-19 RIGHT NOW. THE NUMBER IS THE SMALLEST SINCE JULY. I THINK IT’S JUST THE BEST THING IT’S OBVIOUSLY BEEN THE MOST ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL YEARS MANY OF US HAVE LIVED THROUGH AND KNOWING THAT COVID IS NOT IMPACTING PATIENCE AND THEIR FAMILIES LIKE IT ONCE WAS IS JUST IT MEANS EVERYTHING IT’S IMPORTANT. RAVIVA, MURRAY SAYS THE DROP IN COVID-19 HAS A BIG EFFECT ON PEOPLE WHO NEED OTHER CRITICAL CARE IN HOSPITALS WHEN ALL OF THE CRITICALLY TRAINED STAFF ARE BUSY TAKING CARE OF COVID PATIENTS. WE DON’T HAVE THE STAFF NECESSARILY TO TAKE CARE OF FOR EXAMPLE COMPLEX CARDIAC SURGERY POST-OP PATIENTS WHO REQUIRE A SHORT STAY IN THE ICU MANY TIMES. SO ALL OF THOSE HAD TO BE EITHER DELAYED OR POSTPONED OR RATIONED NOW MERCY ONCE IS IT’S GOING TO KEEP THE ROOMS AS THEY ARE AT THE MOMENT, EVEN THOUGH THE UNIT IS CLOSED JUST IN CASE IT’S NEEDED AGAIN IN DES MOINES ANDREW.
COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to drop
The Iowa Department of Public Health on Saturday reported 609 new COVID-19 positive tests and seven additional deaths.At 10 a.m., the health department reported 363,087 total positive tests, 314,753 total recoveries and 5,470 total deaths since the start of the pandemic. Twenty-four hours earlier, the health department reported 362,478 total positives and 5,463 total deaths.Iowa reports 655,964 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered and 160,634 individuals have received both doses.Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate is at 4.1%, and the seven-day average is also 4.1%. Health department data shows 1,314,206 Iowans have been tested for the virus, while 2,700,817 tests have been administered. There are now 181 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 196 the previous day. Iowa reports 43 patients in ICU and 18 patients on ventilators.Eighteen of Iowa’s long-term care facilities reported COVID-19 outbreaks. The health department reports 468 positive cases and 320 recoveries among residents and staff within those facilities. The state reports 2,165 care facility deaths.The Iowa Department of Public Health offers virus data in real-time on this website. KCCI publishes a daily summary based on the date reported at 10 a.m.
The Iowa Department of Public Health on Saturday reported 609 new COVID-19 positive tests and seven additional deaths.
At 10 a.m., the health department reported 363,087 total positive tests, 314,753 total recoveries and 5,470 total deaths since the start of the pandemic. Twenty-four hours earlier, the health department reported 362,478 total positives and 5,463 total deaths.
Iowa reports 655,964 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered and 160,634 individuals have received both doses.
Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate is at 4.1%, and the seven-day average is also 4.1%. Health department data shows 1,314,206 Iowans have been tested for the virus, while 2,700,817 tests have been administered.
There are now 181 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 196 the previous day. Iowa reports 43 patients in ICU and 18 patients on ventilators.
Eighteen of Iowa’s long-term care facilities reported COVID-19 outbreaks. The health department reports 468 positive cases and 320 recoveries among residents and staff within those facilities. The state reports 2,165 care facility deaths.
The Iowa Department of Public Health offers virus data in real-time on this website. KCCI publishes a daily summary based on the date reported at 10 a.m.