Linn County saw its first confirmed cases of COVID-19 on March 21, about two weeks after the first cases were confirmed in Iowa on March 8. Close to a month after the county’s first confirmed cases, Linn County has become a hotspot in Iowa and has more confirmed cases than any other county in the […]
Cedar Rapids
Posted inCOVID-19
Iowa Secretary of State, Linn County officials encourage voting from home ahead of June primary
Linn County is preparing for the June 2 primary — which is still scheduled to happen, but with various changes due to COVID-19. Linn County Auditor Joel Miller said that his office sent out absentee ballot request forms to every household in the county. During a Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, Miller said 1,500 […]
Posted inCOVID-19
Cedar Rapids City Council moves its Tuesday meeting online due to COVID-19, but residents can still participate
The Cedar Rapids City Council is moving its Tuesday meeting online due to COVID-19. The public will still be able to watch the proceedings in real-time and participate. The meeting, which begins at noon, will be streamed live on the city’s Facebook page, as city council meetings usually are. The city also has videos of […]
Posted inCommunity/News
St. Luke’s Healthcare Foundation, Willis Dady Homeless Services receive grants to help with impact of COVID-19
The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation has announced the first two groups that will receive grants under the foundation’s COVID-19 Disaster Response Fund. St. Luke’s Healthcare Foundation and Willis Dady Homeless Services will each receive $2,500. The Community Foundation is a nonprofit that supports other organizations in Linn County by offering grants, support and connecting […]
Posted inCOVID-19
More than 200 COVID-19 cases confirmed in Linn County, Cedar Rapids may close parks and trails due to overcrowding
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to increase daily in Linn County, which has the most positive cases and deaths caused by the virus of any county in Iowa. On average, the number of cases has increased by 12 each day since March 21, when the first positive cases of the virus were […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Leaf collection begins on Monday in Cedar Rapids, but with a change due to COVID-19
Cedar Rapids residents planning to rake their yards this weekend in preparation for spring cleaning are in luck — leaf collection begins on Monday, April 6. Residents can expect to have the leaf vacuum trucks come by their homes on their regular garbage day, unless trucks are slowed down by weather or volume. If that’s […]
Posted inCommunity/News
COVID-19 outbreak identified at long-term care facility in Cedar Rapids; Linn County peak could be four weeks away
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Linn County is estimated to peak in the next three to four weeks, Dr. Tony Myers of Mercy Medical Center said during a Linn County Public Health press conference on Monday. “There’s no way really to predict exactly how bad it’s going to get,” Myers said. “We […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Telemedicine has emerged as an ‘invaluable tool’ during COVID-19
As cases of COVID-19 increase in Iowa (particularly in Linn County, which, as of Monday morning, has the highest number of confirmed cases in the state at 71), hospitals are turning to telemedicine as a way to screen patients and care for more individuals while conserving personal protective equipment. Telemedicine has been an “invaluable tool […]
Posted inCommunity/News
‘We have to do better’: Health officials warn Linn County hospitals could become overwhelmed if cases continue to increase rapidly
During a press conference on Thursday afternoon, health experts warned Linn County residents that if cases of COVID-19 continue to increase as rapidly as they have been, hospitals will become overwhelmed in the next two to three weeks. Linn County saw its first confirmed cases of the new coronavirus on Saturday, March 21. In less […]
Posted inCommunity/News
UnityPoint Health in Cedar Rapids opens respiratory illness clinic
UnityPoint Health in Cedar Rapids has opened a clinic dedicated to assisting patients with respiratory illness, including COVID-19. Starting Wednesday, UnityPoint Westside Urgent Care, 2375 Edgewood Rd SW, will only see patients with respiratory symptoms, including fever, cough and difficulty breathing. The urgent care clinic in Hiawatha is also closed because staff will be working […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Another Linn County resident tests positive for COVID-19; Cedar Rapids closes its playgrounds
On Wednesday morning, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported 21 new cases of COVID-19 in the state, including six in Johnson County and one in Linn County. The new cases bring the state’s total number of Iowans who have tested positive for the disease to 145. The new case in Linn County means […]
Posted inCommunity/News, COVID-19
Cedar Rapids Transit will suspend services starting Wednesday
City of Cedar Rapids Transit is suspending its fixed-route transit service, effective Wednesday, as an additional measure to limit the spread of COVID-19. “Suspending a service like transit is a very difficult decision for a city and for a community, but it’s one we must make in order to help prevent a possible spike in […]
