The Gazette Iowa reported 598 new positive cases of coronavirus for the 24-hour period as 11 a.m. Saturday — the lowest number in about two and a half months. The state on Saturday also recorded no COVID-19-related deaths for the second day in a row, according to Iowa Department of Public Health data and analyzed by The Gazette. Linn County added 86 positive cases, and Johnson County had nine. Children under the age of 18 saw 221 new positive cases statewide. However, no adults working in the education sector were listed as testing positive, public health department data said. Hospitalizations were recorded at 679 people, a decline of 22 from the previous day. These numbers have been trending down from the state’s high of 1,527 on Nov. 18 — but still are much higher when contrasted with early May’s peak of 417.