Governor Reynolds Offers Update Relating To COVID-19 Statistics
(Des Moines) — Despite Governor Kim Reynolds and Iowa Public Health Department officials assurances that they are seeing a flattening of the curve of those infected with COVID-19, the numbers continue to rise in Iowa.
During the daily briefing held Friday, Governor Reynolds says there were 118 new cases, bringing Iowa’s total to 1,388 positive confirmed cases of coronavirus. Two new counties have reported their first cases of COVID-19 virus. They are Osceola county located in northwest Iowa, and Union County situated in the southwest cornor of the state. This now brings 81 of the 99
counties with at least one case of COVID-19 coronavirus. Reynolds reported 119 people are hospitalized with the coronavirus, while 506 have recovered for a 36 percent recovery rate. The governor stated there are now 862 additional negative tests from Thursday bringing the state’s total of negative cases to 14,565. She says the state hygienic lab has 1,974 tests
available. Two more deaths were reported, both in Linn County, bringing the state’s total to 31. The two additional deaths were an elderly adult above the age of 81, and one older adult between the ages of 61 and 80.
Reynolds Ask People To Help Provide Food To Food Banks
(Des Moines) — Governor Reynolds offered a report about the availability of food at various food banks within the state. Reynolds says more than 354,000 Iowa families are facing uncertainty with food security. She says although additional food donations are needed, Iowa’s food banks stand ready to assist any individual or family needing food.
The governor says the state’s food banks saw a tremendous increase in demand last month, and she anticipates the demand will grow.
Reynolds says she has ordered a task force committee to be led by Iowa Lt. Governor Adam Greg to help identify food shortages and infrastructure and distribution problems.
Reynolds says for people needing food, she suggests they turn to area churches, but she also suggested a website.
Governor Reynolds says many of Iowa’s commodity organizations, along with food processing companies are stepping up to make critical food donations to various food banks and other charitable organizations.
Reynolds asked people to donate food to their local food bank, as well as to consider volunteering time at a food bank.
State Health Official Reports A Possible Shortage With Personal Protection Equipment
(Des Moines) — The state medical director has issued an order that provides new LEGAL immunity for hospitals and other facilities in Iowa’s health care system that make a good faith effort to get face masks and other protective equipment. The order also recommends that hospitals decrease the length of stay for COVID-19 patients once their condition is stable. Iowa Department of Public Health deputy director Sarah Reisetter says the order includes the new federal guidance that face masks may be used if their “use by” date has expired
The order notes new recommendations about washing and reusing N-95 face masks used in health care settings.
According to Reisetter, the order is focused on extending the use of personal protective equipment when demand exceeds supply.
Governor Reynolds says inmates in Iowa’s prisons are making a thousand protective gowns a day for health care workers. Reynolds also told reporters late this (Friday) morning there are NO known cases of COVID-19 in Iowa prisons or jails. The latest figures from the state indicate COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in 81 of Iowa’s 99 counties.
Iowa Supreme Court Upholds Conviction Of Man Who Shot At People At Pedestrian Mall
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the conviction and 24-year prison sentence of an Iowa City man who fired shots into a crowded pedestrian mall in Iowa City in 2017, killing one man and injuring two others. Lamar Wilson claimed a stand-your-ground law the Iowa Legislature
passed earlier in 2017 provided him immunity from prosecution. The Supreme Court found that while several states including Florida and Kansas afford immunity from prosecution in their similar laws, Iowa does not. The court says Wilson lacked justification to shoot at a group of men from Cedar Rapids
during a heated argument.
Sioux City Police Report Confirmed Cases Of COVID-19 With Officers And Staff
(Sioux City) — Sioux City Police have announced several staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, but officials are not releasing the exact number of employees affected or what their positions or roles may be within the department. Sergeant Jeremy McClure says the department just learned of the positive results yesterday (Thursday).
McClure says the department has enough staff to respond to 9-1-1 calls and other calls for service in Sioux City.
Sioux City Police Department employees who tested positive for COVID-19 are recovering in isolation, according to McClure. He says the entire staff has NOT been tested.
It appears Sioux City’s police department may be the first law enforcement agency in the state to have staff test positive for COVID-19. The president of the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association told The Des Moines Register on Wednesday he was unaware of any Iowa deputy or officer testing positive for the virus.
Waterloo Company Makes Lay-offs Due To COVID-19
WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) – A business services company in Waterloo has laid off dozens of workers after the coronavirus pandemic upended its recent expansion. VGM Group announced this week that it has eliminated 58 full-time jobs and 15 part-time jobs. The employee-owned company said that it had offered transfers, extended furloughs or early retirement packages to another 17 workers. VGM Group provides purchasing, insurance, health care management, marketing and other services to thousands of business customers across North America. áVGM CEO Mike Mallaro says the cuts are “very difficult for everyone in the VGM family” but necessary.
April Could Be Cooler Than Normal
(Des Moines) — While parts of Iowa had record high temperatures in the mid-80s earlier this week, a cold front has cut those highs in half and forecasters say the chilly, unseasonable weather may be sticking around. Meteorologist Dennis Todey, director of the U-S-D-A’s Midwest Climate Hub, based in Ames, says there’s no warm-up in sight.
“The main part of this goes into next week where we have sub-freezing temperatures possible into next week,” Todey says. “The downside of this, unfortunately, is that this pattern could stay with us for another couple weeks.” Todey says there is the potential for some freeze damage and — much like a year ago — a slowing of spring planting for Iowa farmers.
“We could still have some repeated cold shots that plants then could be far enough along but if we get freezing temperatures we have an issue,” Todey says, “and if that cold does stay with us, and not give us too much of a warm-up over the next couple weeks, we again will have that same problem with soils not warming up quickly enough and not drying out enough that we can start getting field work done.” Todey says it doesn’t look like much precipitation is coming with the cold, which will benefit some farmers in the short-term.
“The advantage for row crop people is, you can still do a lot of prep work,” Todey says. “If you can get into the field, you can start getting ready. You just don’t want to be putting out anything except for maybe some small grains would probably be okay to get started on.” Todey says long-range trends show both temperatures and precipitation staying below-normal for the next month or so.
