(Des Moines)– The number of COVID-19 cases continues to soar, with 2,469 new cases confirmed in Iowa for the previous 24 hour period ending at 10:00 am this (Thurs.) morning. 11 more deaths were reported with the state’s death toll at 1,680. Hospitalizations again set another record, at 605. That’s up from 596 on Wednesday. 135 are in intensive care units with 56 on ventilators.
Locally, Dickinson county once again was among the counties reporting some of the largest increases, with 28 new cases reported since Wednesday. It brings the total number of cases since the pandemic started to 780. 554 of those have recovered. Dickinson county is also reporting an additional death, bringing the county’s death toll to nine.
Even though cases continue to surge locally, Jennifer Gustafson of Lakes Regional Healthcare says thankfully they still have capacity. She says as of earlier today (Thurs.) they had 21 patients in the hospital…
“Out of those 21 patients four of them are COVID patients. Our COVID patients, you know that varies. We’ve had, you know, up to nine patients at one time. Right now we have four. But of the 17 people that are non-COVID patients, five of them are termed swing bed patients which means they actually would be able to be discharged to the nursing home but the nursing homes are, you know, they have different requirements to accept the patients back into the nursing home and they’re not able to take those patients back so they’re being cared for here. So given all that, though, we can still accept more inpatients so we’re happy about that.”
Gustafson says it’s vital residents take the necessary precautions so local hospitals do NOT become overwhelmed.
