COVID-19 numbers continue to rise as positivity rates reach a new high

Published by admin on Tue, 10/27/2020 - 3:48pm

By:

Sharon Drahn

Herald Editor

Coronavirus cases continue to grow in Allamakee County. As of Monday, October 26, the number of positive cases reported in the county stands at 363 with eight deaths. Five new positive cases have been reported within the past 24 hours.

Winneshiek County reports a total of 464 cases with nine deaths. Clayton County numbers have climbed to 405 positive tests with three deaths and Fayette County has 367 positive cases and four deaths.

Experts don’t have information about the outcome of every infection. However, estimates predict that the overall COVID-19 recovery rate is over 90%.

The U.S. set a new record for new coronavirus cases in a single day Friday as the country undergoes an alarming new surge in infections.

According to the COVID Tracking Project’s tally, there were more than 83,000 new confirmed COVID-19 cases across the country Friday, surpassing the U.S.’s past record of 75,687 on July 16. About 1.3 million tests were conducted Friday.

That surge was evident in Iowa as well as the state has broken the record for the highest number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients during the past week.

This past weekend it was reported that 545 Iowans were hospitalized with the virus. If this trend continues, it was predicted Iowa could run out of hospital beds before the end of the year.

Iowa saw 1,849 new positive cases on October 24, the second highest in a 24-hour period. Iowa’s seven day average was set a new record at 1,189. This average number has been steadily rising throughout the last week.

Children, through age 17, testing positive was recorded at 174 while 82 more positive cases were identified for education-related jobs.

Whether you will be out seeing the last colors of fall, or buying pumpkins to carve, or grabbing bags of Halloween candy or working on costumes, please be safe.

We can all do a part in decreasing those numbers. Keep wearing masks, keep social distancing, keep washing your hands, and keep staying home if you are ill.