DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa reported seven additional coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday, raising the state total to 3,999.
Iowa’s per capita death rate moved up one notch to the 14th highest in the nation with 126.5 deaths per 100,000 people, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
Deaths caused by COVID-19 appear to have resulted in record numbers of deaths overall in Iowa. Recently updated state data shows 3,952 people died in Iowa in November, the highest single-month death total for the state, according to Iowa Department of Public Health records.
Iowa’s death total last year is the highest single-year total at least since 1915, public health data in available vital statistics records show.
Deaths through November totaled 31,628. Without December deaths the state already has surpassed 2019 deaths which totaled 30,669.
State public health officials reported 1,813 new confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours as of Tuesday morning as virus spread appears to be increasing again in Iowa. The seven-day rolling average of the positivity rate rose over the past two weeks from 32% on Dec. 21 to 45% on Jan. 4, Johns Hopkins reported.
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