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COVID-19 in the QC: 750 Deaths & Climbing

WVIK, Quad Cities NPR | By Herb Trix,

Published January 13, 2022 at 5:38 PM CST

Scanning electron micrograph of a cell infected with a variant strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (orange), isolated from a patient sample and colorized. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland.

The coronavirus has killed seven more residents of the Quad Cities. On Wednesday, Rock Island County reported one new death, and there've been six more in Scott County.

That brings the total to 756 deaths, 428 in Rock Island County and 328 in Scott County.

From January 11-12, 2022, 550 new cases were reported in the Illinois Quad Cities. From January 6-12, 2022, new cases total 1,820 in the Iowa Quad Cities.

Average daily case numbers for the past week are 300 for Rock Island County, up from 179 a week ago, and 260 in Scott County, up from 234 the previous week.

Dubuque County reports 3 new deaths and 900 new cases of COVID-19.

In addition, UnityPoint Health has some advice for those who don't have any symptoms but want to get tested for COVID-19.

The health care system says it’s seeing an increase in asymptomatic individuals seeking testing in emergency rooms and urgent care clinics.

Instead people without COVID symptoms should get at-home test kits from pharmacies and local public health departments. Iowa residents can get them through the "Test Iowa" program.

UnityPoint says people who do have COVID-19 symptoms should first try to schedule an appointment with their primary care physician. If they are unable to obtain one, they should go to an urgent care clinic.