Des Moines Sun

Despite a promising increase in vaccination rates in recent weeks, Des Moines County continues to battle surging infection cases, according to The Hawk Eye.  

An average of 696 new cases were reported per day in the last week, significantly surpassing last month’s figure when the state was averaging 71 new cases per day, the Des Moines Register reported. The state reported 382,401 coronavirus cases, a 0.94% increase from the previous week, according to The Hawk Eye.

In Des Moines County, 39% of people are fully vaccinated as of Aug. 10., while 43%, a total of 16,867 people, have received at least one dose of the vaccine, The Hawk Eye reported. The county has administered more than 38,558 doses. Just under half of the state's total population, at 48% or 1,501,058 are fully vaccinated, while 113,051 Iowans, making up 4% of the population, are partially vaccinated, The Des Moines Register reported.

Seventeen Iowans have died from COVID-19 in the past week, a slight increase over the previous week, bringing the total deaths across the state to 6,210, the Des Moines Register reported. 

“Just having (my kids) in that situation where not everybody would be vaccinated poses a risk to them,” Laura Olson, a mom of Des Moines Public Schools students, stated earlier this month, We Are Iowa reported.

The five counties with the highest rate of vaccinated residents as of Aug. 10 are Johnson County with 61%, Dallas County with 58%, Linn County with 55%, Polk County with 54% and Dubuque County with 53%, The Hawk Eye reported.