After finally leveling off a week ago, Marshall County’s COVID case numbers and positivity rate have dropped dramatically in the last seven days according to the latest information from the Marshall County Public Health Department, but two new virus-related deaths have been reported.

The number of new Marshall County cases was just 314 in the last seven days — by contrast, Story County reported 579, and Polk County reported over 3,000. During the three previous weeks, Marshall County had 536, 565 and 550 new cases, respectively, and 565 still stands as the highest number of new cases in a week throughout the entire pandemic.

The numbers, however, are still substantially above where they were a month ago, when 210 new cases were reported in the county over the previous week. In addition, the positivity rate has fallen from a peak of 20 percent two weeks ago to just 13 percent as of the latest reporting.

“We’re holding our own,” Marshall County Public Health Director Pat Thompson said. “It’s encouraging news, but we still have to help take care of ourselves and know that vaccination is very important. That’s our key to getting out of this pandemic. It really is.”

With the latest additions, the countywide COVID death toll now stands at 98. Thompson said that although vaccines have been widely available for almost a year now, leaders at local administration sites are still reporting a steady flow of individuals coming in to get their first or second shot. In the last week, Marshall County edged over a 64 percent vaccination rate among the eligible population, which remains the sixth highest rate in the state and higher than any of its neighbors.

“It’s important right now because the virus that’s out there, Omicron, it’s very contagious,” Thompson said. “It’s not too late (to get vaccinated), and it’s a good idea.”

Statewide, there are currently 794 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, including 139 admitted in the last 24 hours, and 22,589 new cases and 156 virus-related deaths have been reported in the last week. There are also 109 active outbreaks in long-term care facilities.

COVID-19 in Marshall County

• Seven day percent of positive test rate: 13 percent

• Seven day number of cases: 314

• CDC transmission level: HIGH

• Eligible and Fully vaccinated: 64.1 percent

• New deaths this week: 2

• Total deaths: 98

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255

or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.