Northwest Iowa — The number of deaths from COVID-related illnesses in the four-county area climbed during the past seven days, for the first time in several weeks.
The four-county area of Lyon, Sioux, Osceola and O’Brien Counties reported two additional deaths, the first new deaths reported in the area since the September 27th report from the Iowa Department of Public Health. During the past seven days, Lyon and Sioux Counties each reported one additional COVID-related death, bringing the total for the area to 195 since the pandemic began. Sioux County’s death toll now stands at 77, Lyon’s at 41, O’Brien’s at 59 and Osceola’s at 17.
The number of new positive COVID test results jumped in the past seven days, as well, going from 137 new positives one week ago, to 167 in the past seven days. Sioux County reports 88 new positive results, up from 50 in last week’s report. Osceola County reports 39 new positives in the past seven days, up sixteen from the previous week, when 23 positives were reported. Lyon and O’Brien Counties each reported fewer positive test results for the past seven days: O’Brien County reported sixteen fewer new positives, at 25 this week; while Lyon was down eight positives, to 15 in the past seven days, compared to 23 the previous week.
Statewide, as of Monday morning, 531 Iowans were hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19, with 129 of those patients being treated in the state’s Intensive Care Units.
As for vaccinations, here in the four-county area, 58.9% of O’Brien County adults have been vaccinated, compared to 52.6% in Osceola County, 50.3% in Sioux County and 49.9% in Lyon County.
The county with the highest percentage of adults who have been vaccinated for COVID is Buena Vista County, here in northwest Iowa, with 77.6% of their adult population vaccinated. The lowest percentage standing in the state once again belongs to Davis County, in far southeast Iowa, where 45.1% of their adult population has been vaccinated.
