Iowa’s hospitalization rates due to COVID-19 have increased over the weekend. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, as of Sunday evening 151 COVID-19 patients in Iowa were hospitalized, up 10 people from Saturday. Also, 41 people were in intensive care units and 15 were on ventilators. In Region 5, which includes southeast Iowa, 32 people were hospitalized Sunday night with 13 in the ICU and five were on ventilators.

Washington County Emergency Management Coordinator Marissa Reisen tells people to wear a mask to help protect those around them from COVID-19. Washington County Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski reiterated recently that mask usage is helpful in limiting the spread of COVID-19, “You know, that is the most important thing we can do, to get that R0 below one, is to encouraged as much mask wearing as possible; that’s what the data is showing us. It’s easy. It will allow us to maintain continuity of operations as effectively as possible.”

The Centers for Disease Control recommends people wear cloth face masks in public because they help contain the droplets expelled when people talk, cough, sneeze, shout, and sing. The cloth face masks catch those droplets that could otherwise be inhaled into the lungs of other people nearby. The CDC states people can spread COVID-19 before they show symptoms.

As of Sunday, Iowa had 31,475 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 721 total deaths. So far, 24,829 people have recovered.