Today's updates

Tonight: Livestream for your loved ones on COVID-19 at 6:30 p.m.

Keeping you in The Loop

‘Happy when I can help someone’: Hugo Ortega looks out for customers in Food and Nutrition Services

In a typical day, Ortega can be found making coffee for the customers in the Fountain Dining Room, manning the cash register in the Compass Express, or helping stock either area. 

Bradley Manning is making safer choices to fight omicron

Hear from hospitalist Bradley Manning, MD, on how he and his family have made changes to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

Despite continuing pandemic, UI Health Care research continues apace with two papers published in Nature

At a time when the omicron surge is dominating the news cycle and affecting day-to-day activities, UI Health Care scientists continue to make discoveries that advance our understanding and treatment of health conditions.

Events

• State of the Enterprise: VPMA Jackson to speak from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27, via livestream.
• Reproductive Justice: An Obermann Conversation,  7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2, via Zoom.

Going the Extra Mile

As UI Health Care performs more COVID-19 tests than ever before, our laboratory scientists are processing samples at a rapid pace as the omicron variant drives a rise in infections. View more photos of this team in action.

By the numbers

Patient-related care

Total inpatients: 774 today
Total outpatient visits: 3,582 today

C-19 adult inpatients: 58 yesterday, 250 to date
C-19 pediatric inpatients: 10 yesterday, 46 to date
% positive symptomatic C-19 test results**: 38% yesterday, 43% to date
Telehealth screenings***: 102 yesterday, 3,042 to date

Employee-specific data

Employees tested positive (self-reported)*: 67 yesterday, 3,507 to date
Employees who have received the first COVID-19 vaccine dose: 0 yesterday, 15,695 to date
Employees who have received both the first and second/final COVID-19 vaccine doses: 0 yesterday, 15,584 to date

Visit COVID-19 by the numbers for more info

Research volunteers invited

• Recruiting females and males diagnosed with fibromyalgia (age 21 to 70) to participate in a study investigating blood biomarkers specific for fibromyalgia. Compensation provided. Questions? Email SlukaLab@uiowa.edu or call 319-335-7149.

Find more research studies at uihc.org/studies.

Outside UI Health Care

Old Capitol dome regilding to begin spring

After months of study and discussion, the UI is moving forward with a recommendation to regild the Old Capitol dome with work is expected to begin this spring, Iowa Now reports.

Iowa DOT testing recycled plastic in asphalt to help roads last longer

The company Construction Material Testing approached the Iowa Department of Transportation about using a plastic mixture made up of polystyrene beads to help roads last longer, KCRG reports.

Archeologists launch first-ever ‘dig’ into life on the International Space Station

A group of researchers have launched the first-ever archeological study of humans in space by observing the lives of the crew living on the International Space Station, NPR reports.

The bears and the bees: How honey is helping to save the spectacled bear

As South America’s only bear species, the spectacled or Andean bear is renowned worldwide thanks largely to Paddington Bear, the fictional character who hails from “deepest, darkest Peru,” CNN reports.

Iowa men’s basketball drops close game to Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights took down the Hawkeyes, 48-46, on two last-second free throws, The Daily Iowan reports.

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