Iowa reached a somber record in daily coronavirus deaths on Nov. 18, 2020. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

Less than two days after Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced what some predict will be an insufficient response to the coronavirus pandemic, the state reported its highest daily death toll, with 40 Iowans dead from COVID-19.

The new deaths, reported the morning of Nov. 18, 2020, bring Iowa’s total coronavirus deaths to 2,064. Because of the method the state uses to track deaths, not all of the patients died in one day — some date back to earlier this month — but reflects the highest number of deaths reported in a single day.

Other records were reported in hospitalizations, with 1,527, and 134 patients on ventilators. Total confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 194,479 on Nov. 18.

Sen. Charles Grassley, (R-IA) announced Nov. 17 that he tested positive for COVID-19. At age 87, Grassley is in a high-risk category for coronavirus. Republican Ashley Hinson, Iowa’s First District congresswoman-elect, tested positive last week.

Maskless Republican campaign events put Grassley and others at risk, Bleeding Heartland reported.

On Nov. 16, Reynolds gave a live address to Iowans to announce limited mitigation steps to try to stem the coronavirus tidal wave. Because of the amount of exceptions, for religious services and schools, for example, some public health officials question the effectiveness of the measures.

Deaths generally lag behind hospitalizations by a few weeks, putting Iowans on a sad trajectory.

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