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Iowa confirms 18 virus deaths in last day

ap photo Shirley Selover of Des Moines waits in line at a drive-up produce giveaway organized by a Des Moines food pantry on Aug. 28.

DES MOINES — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Iowa in the past day topped 1,000 with 18 more deaths, the state Department of Public Health reported Wednesday.

In the 24 hours since 10 a.m. Tuesday, the state reported 1,048 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 88,555. The 18 additional deaths brought the total to 1,325.

The state also reported that an increase in people being treated at hospitals for the virus has continued, with the 390 people now hospitalized.

A White House coronavirus task force report dated Sunday found that Iowa last week had the nation’s sixth-highest rate of coronavirus infections per 100,000 people. The task force again recommended the state institute a statewide mask requirement. Gov. Kim Reynolds has said such a requirement is unnecessary.

On Tuesday, Reynolds announced new state guidance that people who have close contact with someone infected with the coronavirus no longer should go into a 14-day quarantine if both people were wearing masks. The recommendation breaks from guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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