The rate of new positive tests for coronavirus is slowing down in Iowa.  The Iowa Department of Public Health says as of Tuesday (2/1), there were 22,736 new positive COVID-19 tests over the past week.  There had been over 30,000 new positive tests in each of the previous three weeks.  Iowa’s total of positive COVID-19 tests for the pandemic stands at 722,589.

Around the region, there were 275 new positive coronavirus tests in Jasper County in the week that ended Tuesday, with 267 in Wapello County, 223 in Marion County, 195 in Poweshiek County, 123 new positive COVID-19 tests in Mahaska County, 71 in Keokuk County and 51 in Monroe County.

There were also 156 deaths with coronavirus in Iowa during the week that ended Tuesday.  Five of those deaths were in Wapello County, with two in both Monroe and Jasper Counties and one in Marion County.

And the number of Iowans hospitalized with COVID-19 has dropped.  As of Tuesday, 794 people were hospitalized—135 fewer than the previous week, with 109 people in the intensive care unit—56 fewer than last week.