DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting 2,545 additional Iowans have tested positive for the COVID-19 and 102 additional deaths were reported over the last 24 hours. The high number of deaths may be related to the state’s change in how it reports deaths related to COVID-19.
The new definition, which is suggested by the Centers’ for Disease Control, will allow medical professionals to determine if a death was related to the virus.
The old definition counted only those who died after receiving a positive PCR test, which an I9 investigation found ignored people who died with an antigen test.
As of 10:30 a.m. on December 9, state data shows a total of 3,021 deaths related to COVID-19. 2,768 of those reported deaths listed COVID-19 as the underlying cause of the death, and 253 listed COVID-19 as a contributing factor.
The state’s data shows a total of 248,782 Iowans have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began.
According to the data the state makes available, 6,895 COVID-19 tests were conducted, making the total 1,262,909 since the pandemic began. According to this data, the positivity rate over the last 24 hours was 36.9 percent.
There are currently a total of 894 Iowans hospitalized, with 141 having been admitted in the last 24 hours. Of those patients, 196 are in the ICU and 120 are on ventilators.
The state’s data shows 173,439 Iowans have recovered from COVID-19.
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