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IOWA — The latest weekly report on the COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa shows fewer people are testing positive and being hospitalized with the virus, while 156 more deaths have been confirmed due to the virus.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, there were 794 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Iowa at midnight Wednesday. That is a 6% decrease in COVID-19 patients in the last 48 hours. The number of COVID-19 patients in the ICU is down sharply as well. 109 patients were reported as of midnight, a 16% decrease in 48 hours.

Of those in the ICU who have tested positive for COVID-19, 70.6% are unvaccinated. That statistic underscores the consistent, educated medical opinion that COVID-19 vaccines prevent serious illness even when they don’t prevent an infection.

In the last seven days, 19,161 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Iowa. That is a sharp decrease from the previous rolling seven day total to more than 23,000 positive tests. The statewide average positive rate in the state for the last 14 days has dropped to 21.5%. It was as high as 25% in January.

The state is also confirming two new outbreaks of COVID-19 at long term care facilities. A total of 109 facilities are currently under outbreak status – meaning two or more residents or staff members have tested positive.

IDPH is confirming another 156 deaths due to the virus. Those deaths occurred over the last seven weeks. To date there have been 8,657 COIVD-19-related deaths in Iowa in just under two years.