State officials have changed the method for publicly reporting the number of Covid-related deaths in Iowa, using the same system as the National Center for Health Statistics. The change initially added at least 177 deaths to the state count overnight. Iowa Department of Human Services director Kelly Garcia says the state is now using a special code number on death certificates indicating Covid was the underlying cause or a contributing factor to the death of an Iowan.

Also last night, the Iowa Department of Human Services announced the Covid-related death of a resident at one of the six facilities the agency oversees. A department spokesman said the location or day of the death will not be released to protect the identity of the client who died.

That change in reported deaths has had a funky effect on the deaths reported in the seven counties we track.

Story’s count is down 7, while Marshall, Jasper and Grundy counties toll also fell by 3. However, Tama’s count rose a dozen and now leads our seven counties with 54 rona related deaths. Hardin’s number went up by 7, Poweshiek County by 3.

Over 11-hundred new cases reported since midday yesterday, 33 in Story County and 18 in Marshall County. The to-date case count now just shy of 246-thousand.