Covid Infections Up Nationwide; IA Particularly Affected

COVID-19 numbers have surged in Iowa and across the country in recent weeks. Over 20-percent of tests in Iowa are coming back positive, the highest in over a year. Inpatient and emergency room visits for COVID-19 are on the rise in Iowa, but remain low at around two percent. Despite the increase in cases, COVID-19-related deaths in Iowa are still low, with only two reported in the most recent week. Wastewater viral activity is high in Iowa, indicating the spread of the virus, and the CDC recommends updated COVID-19 vaccines for everyone aged 5 and older to protect against serious illness.