DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa set another record for COVID-19 hospitalizations early Wednesday morning for the second day in a row at almost 450 (449).The numbers break the previous high of 405 set in mid-May.
Governor Kim Reynolds says there's a concentration of hospitalizations in Northwest Iowa, which is currently a virus hot spot, but says there are no hospital capacity problems anywhere in the state.
She said "surge plans" that allow patients to be transferred to regions with fewer hospitalizations have not have to be used.
About 35 percent of hospital beds across the state are still available. The number of patients in ICU beds or on ventilators has dropped since the peak of the pandemic in April and May, and has been steady since then.
Reynolds noted the majority of patients hospitalized are over 60 years old. She emphasized that everyone needed to take personal responsibility, including wearing masks, washing their hands and observing social distancing.