DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa's two universities at the center of the state's recent COVID-19 spike are showing improvement.
Johnson and Story counties which are home to the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, rank first (Johnson County - 22.2%) and third (Story County - 20,3%) in the state for COVID-19 positivity rates.
Both schools have been identified nationally as college campus COVID-19 hot spots.
The University of Iowa has recorded 1,569 positive cases since students returned to campus in mid-August, but only 174 new cases as of last week.
Iowa State University has recorded a total of 900 cases among students, but a 50 percent reduction in positive cases over the last two weeks.Iowa State still has a positivity test rate of roughly 20 percent.
The Johns Hopkins University 7-day average shows Iowa with a 15.5 percent positivity rate, which is higher than most states, but down from 16.4 percent only a day ago.
Public schools in Iowa City and Ames, the homes of the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, are starting classes entirely online because of high positivity rates at the county level.
In-person sports activities in both districts have been suspended in accordance with state requirements for schools that conduct online only classes.
Iowa State University will play a football game this Saturday with no fans in attendance, which is a reversal from the school's previous decision to allow 25,000 season ticket holders into the stadium.