Northwest Iowa — The weekly COVID numbers for the four-county area of O’Brien, Sioux, Osceola and Lyon Counties have taken another jump, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.
In last week’s report, 87 area residents had tested positive for COVID. That number has jumped to 95 for the past seven days. Sioux County reports 41 positives, down two from the last report; Lyon County reports 26, up five; O’Brien County had 17, up three; and Osceola County had 8, up two from last week’s report.
Thankfully, this week’s report shows no additional COVID-related deaths in the four-county area over the past seven days…a statistic we’re happy to report. However, 189 of our friends and neighbors have perished from COVID-related illnesses since the pandemic began; 74 in Sioux County, 57 in O’Brien County, 41 in Lyon County and 17 in Osceola County.
Statewide, 64% of Iowans have been vaccinated, while here in the four-county area the numbers are somewhat lower. O’Brien County has the highest vaccination rate in the four-counties at 55.9%, Osceola comes next at 50.7%, 47.5% of Lyon County residents have been vaccinated, while just 47.2% of Sioux County residents have received the COVID vaccine.
As of Monday morning there were 554 patients in Iowa hospitals with COVID and 153 in ICU’s across the state. Of those hospitalized, 78.7% are not fully vaccinated, with 89.5% of ICU patients not fully vaccinated.
Also as of Monday morning, there were COVID outbreaks at 20 long-term care facilities across the State of Iowa.
