(Update 11:15-a.m.) The Iowa Department of Public Health today (Wednesday), reports five more people have died from COVID-19 since yesterday’s report, for a total of 717, and 349 more people tested positive for the virus, for a total of 29,290. Of those who have tested positive, 7,276 had a pre-existing medical condition that would likely have made them more susceptible to the virus. Negative test results number 278,947, and 409 more COVID-19 patients have recovered, for a total of 23, 447. A total of 817, 657 assessments and 308,658 tests have been completed.

In Regional Medical Center Coordination (RMCC) data: 149 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized (compared to 119 yesterday); 37 are in an ICU (3 more than yesterday); 29 were admitted to a hospital (4 more than yesterday), and 21 are on a ventilator. In RMCC Region 4 (western/southwest IA): 4 patients were in a hospital (1 less than yesterday); 2 were in an ICU and no one was admitted over the past 24-hours, and one person was taken off of a ventilator.

Long-Term Care (LTC) facility outbreaks are down again, from 21 yesterday to 20 in today’s report. At those facilities, 548 persons (Staff & patients) have tested positive,. Recoveries from the virus amount to 419, while deaths at LTC’s number 366, one less than yesterday. In Cass & surrounding counties, here are the latest numbers of positive COVID-19 test results and the number of persons recovered (  ).

• Cass: 17 (16)
• Adair: 15 (11)
• Adams: 8 (8) [1 more recovered since Tue.]
• Audubon: 17 (15)
• Guthrie: 64 (58)
• Montgomery: 10 (8)
• Pottawattamie: 691 (588)
• Shelby: 106 [3 more than yesterday] (79) [14 more than Tuesday]