Iowa reported a record 250 deaths linked to the coronavirus Sunday, which is the biggest one-day increase the state has recorded. The state reported 4,901 deaths linked to COVID-19 on Sunday morning. That was 250 more than what the state reported Saturday, and the figure is significantly higher than the average of 23.43 deaths reported per day over the past week. But the 250 deaths reported Sunday didn’t occur within the last 24 hours.

One of the Covid deaths recorded on Sunday occurred on October 15th and many happened in November and December and early January, but were just included in the latest batch of data the Centers for Disease Control sent the state. State officials say in some instances, it takes time for the National Center for Health Statistics to confirm a death is caused by or related to Covid.

There were six additional deaths reported in Pottawattamie County, two more in Guthrie, Madison, Montgomery and Union Counties, and one more death in each of Cass and Shelby Counties.

The IDPH says 4,446 of the deaths were attributed to Underlying Cause, and COVID was a contributing factor to 459 deaths. Long-Term Care (LTC) deaths make up for 2,007 of the total deaths.

The Iowa DPH reports there are 55 COVID-19 outbreaks among Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities in the state. Those facilities  account for 1,629 of Iowa’s current positive cases. Health officials say 915 LTC patients have recovered.

Iowa DPH today reports 358 persons are hospitalized with COVID symptoms or condition. Officials say 94 patients are in intensive care units, 50 COVID patients were admitted to hospitals over the 24-hours, and there are 29 people are on a ventilator.  In RMCC Region 4 (Western/southwest Iowa hospitals): 27 are hospitalized w/Covid; 10 are in an ICU; two people were admitted since Saturday, and two people are on a ventilator.

Iowa’s average reported 14-day positivity rate is 9.9%. The past 7-day average is 7.6%.  Of the state’s confirmed cases, 281,524 Iowans recovered. According to the Iowa DPH vaccination dashboard, 236,608 Iowans have received doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The dashboard reports that 132,466 individuals received their first of the vaccine, while 58,183 have completed vaccination. Vaccination data for each county can be found here.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,180 cases; {+9}; 45 deaths
• Adair, 705; {+2}; 24
• Adams, 308; {+1}; 3
• Audubon, 434 {+0}; 8
• Guthrie, 1,054 {+1}; 27
• Harrison County, 1,613; {+7}; 65
• Madison County, 1,294; {+6}; 12
• Mills County, 1,401; {+0}; 17
• Montgomery, 921; {+2}; 30
• Pottawattamie County, 9,328; {+24}; 126
• Shelby County, 1,100; {+3}; 29
• Union County,  1,144; {+3}; 27