Thus far during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sioux City has had more known cases of the virus per capita than any metro area, except Bismarck, North Dakota, according to a New York Times analysis.
The Times noted in a story published Thursday that although other places have had "bigger outbreaks, worse days and faster surges," few have experienced the "sustained pain" that the Sioux City metro has.
Nearly 9 percent of Siouxlanders have tested positive, according to the analysis.
On Thursday, Woodbury County, which had a 14-day COVID-19 positivity rate of 22.9 percent, added 136 new cases of the virus, according to Siouxland District Health Department. Its case total now stands at 8,824, according to state data. No additional deaths were reported in the county, where 105 total residents have succumbed to the virus.
A total of 89 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized at either MercyOne Medical Center or UnityPoint Health, according to the district health agency, an increase of nine from Wednesday. Of those patients, 63 were hospitalized because they had COVID-19. Another 26 people in the hospital have the virus, but are hospitalized for other reasons. Of the total, 48 are Woodbury County residents.
