(Des Moines) – Iowa’s COVID-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations continue to decline. The Iowa Department of Public Health as of 10-a.m. Saturday, 489 new positive COVID-19 cases for a total of 392,105, and three additional deaths for a total of 5,907 since the start of the pandemic. Deaths at long-term care facilities in Iowa account for 2,309 of the total number of deaths statewide.

Iowa’s positivity rates are continuing to decline slowly. The 7-day average declined from 4.0% Friday to 3.9% Saturday, and the 14-day average declined from 4.2% to 41%. Virus hospitalizations amount to 209, down from 217 a day earlier. There are 48 patients in ICU and 22 patients on ventilators.

In RMCC Regional 4 (hospitals in western/southwest Iowa): 26 COVID patients are hospitalized; 8 are in an ICU; 2 were admitted with symptoms of the virus, and there remain four persons on a ventilator.

Urbandale Health Care Center is the only long-term care facility in the state reporting a virus outbreak There are 18 positive cases and 11 recoveries among residents and staff within that facility.

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, 1,443 cases; {+7}; 54 deaths
Adair, 970; {+0}; 32
Adams, 342 {+0}; 4
Audubon, 514 {+1}; 9
Guthrie, 1,271 {+5}; 29
Harrison County, 1,905; {+1}; 73
Madison County, 1,701; {+2; 19
Mills County, 1,763; {+4}; 20
Montgomery, 1,097 {+2}; 37
Pottawattamie County, 11,954; {+30}; 164
Shelby County, 1,350 {+1}; 37
Union County, 1,316; {+1}; 32