Governor Reynolds To Launch “Test Iowa”
(Des Moines) — Governor Kim Reynolds says in the coming days she will launch a program entitled “Test Iowa” which is a large scale method of testing and contact tracing for COVID-19 across the state. The governor made the comments during her daily briefing. She says such places as the Tyson Food Processing facility in Columbus Junction and another one based in Waterloo, as well as several long-term nursing care facilities, are requiring additional tests to be sent to those facilities.
She explains how “Test Iowa” will help in the fight against the coronavirus.
The governor is asking the Iowa Department of Public Health to form outreach teams to evaluate the severity and spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, especially, at such facilities where large number of positive cases have been reported.
Reynolds says these teams of nurses will also conduct follow up and recovery assessments for those that have already contracted the virus.
Region 6 – Northeast Iowa – Under Stricter Mitigation Measures Due To High Number Of COVID-19 Cases
(Des Moines) — The governor announced, due to the large and continuously rising number of virus cases within the northeast area of the state, or Region 6, she is ordering additional mitigation efforts.
Reynolds imposed the order making even stricter demands on people living within the region.
Region 6 comprises of the following counties: Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Grundy, Howard, Jones, Linn, and Winneshiek counties.
Governor Reynolds Announces New COVID-19 Public Service Announcement Featuring Actor, And Iowa Native Ashton Kutcher
(Des Moines) — During the Thursday briefing, Governor Reynolds unveiled a new Public Service Announcement that will be showcased on various Iowa media outlets. The public service announcement is narrated by actor and Iowa native, Ashton Kutcher.
(photo contributed.)
Governor Reynolds Meeting With State Officials To Determine When Businesses Will Be Allowed To Open
(Des Moines, IA) — Governor Kim Reynolds is meeting privately with a group of state agency directors today to chart when COVID-19 closures may be lifted (Thursday). Reynolds said, “we’ll start to kind of frame up the timeline.”
The governor ordered Iowa’s K-through-12 schools to be closed through April 30th and promised to announce by this Friday if those closures will extend into May. Iowa bars and restaurants have been closed since St. Patrick’s Day and Reynolds ordered other types of businesses to as well. She has suggested businesses in areas of the state where few, if any, COVID-19 cases have been confirmed may be the first to reopen. The governor also said, “we have to be cautious in how we do that, because we don’t want to just flip the light switch and then you know, have another spike happen in a week.” Iowa has
nearly two-thousand confirmed coronavirus cases and 53 deaths.
Two Tyson Foods Employees Die From COVID-19 Virus
(Columbus Junction, IA) — Tyson Foods says two employees at its pork processing plant in Columbus Junction have died of complications from COVID-19. Tyson spokeswoman Liz Croston said,”we’re deeply saddened by the loss of two team members from our Columbus Junction plant. Their families are in our
thoughts and prayers.” The plant is the site of a coronavirus outbreak and has been idled since April 6th. Tyson Foods says it is implementing social distancing measures, such as installing workstation dividers, spreading out work stations where possible, and providing more breakroom space. Governor Reynolds says 900 more COVID-19 tests were sent to the Tyson plant in Louisa
County. Plans are in the works to test workers in all of Iowa’s food processing plants. A beef processing plant in Tama was shut down after several workers there tested positive for COVID-19.
Unemployment Claims Remain High
(Des Moines, IA) — The number of new state unemployment claims remains high in Iowa due to COVID-19 – but did drop from the previous week. The U-S Labor Department says new claims for the week of April 5th through the 11th were 43-thousand-862. That’s down from more than 67-thousand initial claims filed the previous week. Around 214-thousand laid-off workers in Iowa have applied for unemployment benefits over the last month. Iowa Workforce Development began distributing an additional 600-dollar weekly payment this week through the federal CARES Act.
Hit-And-Run Accident Kills 8-Year Old Boy In Council Bluffs
(Council Bluffs, IA) — Police in Council Bluffs say an eight-year-old boy is dead and a suspect in custody after a hit-and-run crash. Officers say an S-U-V struck the boy Wednesday night and he died in the hospital. The suspect vehicle fled the scene but the driver and S-U-V were found a short distance away. Investigators are trying to determine whether the 36-year-old
Council Bluffs was man was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The victim hasn’t been identified. The Council Bluffs P-D is seeking more information about the incident.
