DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa is setting new highs in several COVID-19 categories.
The state now has the 5th highest rate of new COVID-19 cases in the country, as of early Monday morning. Iowa ranks 12th in its death rate from the virus, which is down from a previous high.
Hospitalizations have spiked to the highest level since the pandemic hit the state with 718 reported early Monday, an increase of 42 from the previous day. Hospitalizations began to sharply rise in late September and have not slowed down.
The state does not appear to have a shortage of hospital beds in the current spike, as the health department is reporting nearly 39 percent of hospital beds as available.
Iowa is also at a new peak with 44 counties reporting positivity rates high enough for school districts to move to online only classes. That threshold is a 15 percent positivity rate over a 14-day average, which has now been reached by slightly less than half of Iowa's 99 counties.
There are COVID-19 outbreaks at 81 long term care centers, another high mark for the state.