DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State health officials today (Monday) report seven more COVID-19 related deaths have taken place since Sunday, for a total of 540 since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. The Iowa Department of Public Health said 19,690 Iowans have tested positive for COVID-19. The IDPH says also: 139, 174 Iowans have tested negative for COVID-19, to-date, and 11,272 have recovered. Across the State: 339 Iowans are hospitalized with COVID-19 (2 less than Sunday); 125 are in an ICU (up 9 from Sunday); 24 were admitted to hospitals over the past 24-hours (1 more than Sunday); and 73 were on ventilators (up 3 from Sunday).

The Region 4 Regional Medical Coordinator Center – covering hospitals in western/southwest Iowa – (RMCC) reports 16 Iowans are hospitalized, 8 are in an ICU, 1 was admitted over the past 24-hours, and 3 are on ventilators. Those numbers have changed little since Sunday, and there was little change in the number of area counties with positive COVID-19 cases reported and those who have recovered. (See https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/pages/case-counts for a breakdown of cases & the number recovered) The number of Long Term Care (LTC) facility outbreaks is unchanged, at 39. Five more people associated with those facilities have died, for a total of 255. The IDPH says 1,565 LTC patients/staff have tested positive, and 726 have recovered from COVID-19.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. For some infected people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the virus can cause severe illness and death.