Only a small percentage of the more than 30,000 positive COVID-19 cases reported in Iowa as of Jan. 12 appear to be caused by the Omicron variant according to data released by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH). In an update released Friday, state health officials say only 267 cases have been identified in the state so far compared to the 33,502 tests seen in the previous seven days. Approximately 62.1 percent of specimens sequenced in the two weeks leading up to Jan. 8 were determined to be Omicron, which suggests it is growing as a total proportion of COVID-19 cases. For more information on transmission and outcome data, visit coronavirus.iowa.gov.
