The University of Iowa is reporting 36 new self-reported cases of COVID-19 among students and 1 new employee case since Sept. 21, though cases in Johnson County are continuing to decline.

In a campus-wide email sent Wednesday, the UI said case counts have plateaued. 

“While we must remain vigilant, it should be acknowledged that, as a community, we have considerably slowed the spread of the disease,” the email stated. “However, if positive case rates spike and stay high, the university will consider additional actions.” 

The 14-day rolling total of positive cases in Johnson County on Sept. 23 was 363, down from 708 a week ago on Sept. 16. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds shuttered bars in Johnson and Story counties until Sunday, and a mask mandate is in place in public places in Iowa City until November. 

In other areas of the state, of which there is no state-wide mask mandate, and restaurants and bars remain at full capacity, cases continue to rise. 

Johnson County is far down the list of counties in the Hawkeye State reporting new cases per 100,000 people, according to the New York Times COVID-19 case tracker. 

The county home to the University of Iowa reports 16 active cases per 100,000 people, fewer than counties in Northwest Iowa. Sioux County reports 116 cases per 100,000 people, and Dubuque Iowa is listed at No. 11 on the Times’ list of metro areas with the largest outbreaks.

There have been 1,944 student cases and 38 employee cases since the beginning of the semester. One student is in quarantine in the residence halls and 8 are in isolation.