BA.5 makes up nearly 80% of new US cases

Des Moines Register
·1 min read

Good afternoon. Welcome to another Coronavirus Watch newsletter on this sunny Wednesday.

Hospitalizations and cases continue to increase

The COVID-19 pandemic continued to spread across Iowa over the past week, according to new data released Wednesday.

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Iowa rose again, to 256, the most hospitalizations in a weekly update since February, when last winter's surge was winding down.

New reported COVID-19 cases also increased this week, but not to the extent they did the previous week. There were an average of about 757 new cases reported per day. That's up slightly from the 741 per day reported over the week prior.

  • Confirmed cases: 810,664, an increase of 5,301.

  • Deaths: 9,759, an increase of 41.

  • Hospitalizations: 256, up from 229 one week ago

  • Patients in intensive care: 23, unchanged from last week

Additional monkeypox cases reported

Iowa is now up to five cases of monkeypox after a new case was reported Tuesday in Johnson County.

In Iowa, vaccinations have only been provided to those who have a known exposure. Nationally, the CDC is working to make more vaccines available.

Until next time, stay safe and meet Piper, the cute French bulldog with spina bifida who stole everyone's hearts at a Boone County Fair competition.

— Brian Smith, audience strategist, bsmith@dmreg.com

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: BA.5 makes up nearly 80% of new US cases