(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Public Health’s website shows the agency has now confirmed more than eight-thousand Iowans have died of Covid. The state’s first Covid death was reported on March 20th of 2020. The Iowa Department of Public Health indicates 161 death certificates reviewed in the past week show Covid as the cause of death. Some deaths occurred weeks ago. That has pushed the death toll in Iowa to eight-thousand-19 (8019).

There’s been an increase in hospitalizations since last week. The website shows 792 patients in Iowa hospitals today have tested positive for Covid. That is 81 more than last Wednesday.