(Des Moines) – The Iowa Department of Public Health Thursday, reported 531 new positive COVID-19 tests and six additional deaths. At 10 a.m., the health department reported 391,125 total positive tests and 5,899 total deaths since the start of the pandemic. One Iowa care facility continues reports a COVID-19 outbreak. There are 18 positive cases and seven recoveries among residents and staff within that facility. Iowa reports 2,305 long-term care facility deaths.

Iowa’s 7-day positivity rate is 4.3%, while the 14-day average was holding at 4.4%. The number of Iowans hospitalized statewide, increased from 219 to 235 in the last 24 hours. There are 56 patients in ICU,  52 were admitted to a hospital (compared to 38 the day before), and 24 patients on ventilators, four more than the previous day. RMCC Region 4 hospitals (those in western/southwest Iowa) show: There are 31 hospitalized with COVID (up from 22 the day before); 11 COVID patients are in an ICU; six people were admitted with symptoms of COVID, and there remain four COVID patients on a ventilator.

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, 1,435 cases; {+4}; 54 deaths
Adair, 968; {+0}; 32
Adams, 342 {+1}; 4
Audubon, 513 {+0}; 9
Guthrie, 1,266 {+0}; 29
Harrison County, 1,904; {+8}; 73
Madison County, 1,692; {+6; 19
Mills County, 1,756; {+1}; 20
Montgomery, 1,093 {+1}; 37
Pottawattamie County, 11,899; {+24}; 162
Shelby County, 1,350 {+0}; 37
Union County, 1,315; {+1}; 32