DES MOINES, Iowa (IOWA'S NEWS NOW) — Governor Kim Reynolds says the massive surge in reported COVID-19 recoveries in Iowa over the last 24- hours is because of a revised protocol for determining case recoveries by the Iowa Department of Public Health.
IDPH data shows 5,324 new recoveries during the time between 10:00 Monday morning and 10:00 Tuesday morning - a 30% increase from Monday's total of 17,711 and 23% of the pandemic total of 23,035.
During a press conference Tuesday morning in Steamboat Rock, Governor Reynolds said confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iowa will now be considered recovered 28 days after a positive test unless the state is told otherwise, like in situations of hospitalization. The governor says the change comes because state investigators following up on confirmed cases statuses aren't hearing back from people that have tested positive for the virus.
Aside from the seismic shift in activity and recovery rates because of the adjusted rationale, IDPH's COVID-19 data is showing an increase of 213 confirmed cases of the virus from 10:00 a.m. on June 29 to 10:00 a.m. on June 30. Those new cases come from 3,345 new tests. Five more deaths are also being reported over that 24-hour stretch - meaning 712 Iowans have now died from COVID-19 during the pandemic.
There are now 28,941 total cases confirmed in Iowa from 303,772 tests. The positivity rate is 9.53%.
RMCC data shows 133 current hospitalizations for the virus in Iowa - 14 more than yesterday. 34 of those patients are in the ICU - one fewer than Monday. 20 patients are on ventilators - two more than 24 hours ago.