OSKALOOSA — Statewide hospitalizations hit a five-month low Wednesday, as the state added more than 1,000 new cases of the coronavirus.

Data from the Iowa Department of Public Health reported six new cases of COVID-19 in Mahaska and five new cases in Marion.

The cases were included in the 1,035 COVID-19 cases added between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the state public health department’s data.

The state reported another 29 deaths on Wednesday. To date, there have been 5,174 Iowans killed by the coronavirus.

Hospitalizations are the lowest since late September, with 292 in Iowa’s hospitals and 67 in an intensive care unit.

Iowa has made progress in vaccinations, with its two-dose vaccination rate ahead of 23 other states. Last week, Iowa was the third-worst state in the nation.

About 3% of Iowans have now received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and about 5.5% have received the first dose.

Kyle Ocker is the editor of the Oskaloosa Herald and the Ottumwa Courier. He can be reached at kocker@oskyherald.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kyle_Ocker.

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Kyle Ocker is a Centerville native and award-winning multimedia journalist. Kyle is currently the president of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council and vice president of the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association.

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