Johnson County extended its unprecedented streak of double-digit increases in the number of newly reported COVID-19 cases on Friday, as the Iowa Department of Public Health reported another 60 county residents had tested positive. That number, which covers a 24-hour period ending at 10 a.m. Friday, means the county has now had 10 days in […]
Iowa Department of Public Health
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City Farmers Market will remain drive-through only for 2020 as COVID-19 cases sharply increase in Johnson County
The Iowa City Farmers Market will not add in-person shopping on July 4, as the city had previously planned, the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department announced on Wednesday. “The difficult decision to cancel the in-person market was made due to recent increases in confirmed coronavirus cases in Johnson County,” the department said in a […]
Posted inCommunity/News
University of Iowa won’t change its fall schedule, will explain COVID-19 mitigation plans next week
The University of Iowa said in a campus-wide email it will maintain its regular schedule for the fall, the Daily Iowan reported on Friday. That means classes will begin on Aug. 24 and run through Dec. 18. Iowa State University, by contrast, is starting its fall semester early, so it can end classes before the […]
Posted inCommunity/News
The number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 drops below 300 for the first time in Iowa since April
At 10 a.m. on Friday, the Iowa Department of Public Health was reporting another 387 Iowans had tested positive for COVID-19 during the previous 24 hours, bringing the state’s total number of confirmed cases to 21,093. The department also reported another 11 people have died from the virus. The state’s COVID-19 death toll was at […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Gov. Reynolds won’t ‘second guess’ Tyson’s decision to penalize workers for missing shifts due to illness, as another 694 cases of COVID-19 are reported in Iowa
Gov. Kim Reynolds focused on defending Test Iowa from critics during her prepared remarks at her press conference on Thursday. “Test Iowa is now generating more tests than any other testing option in Iowa,” she said. “While we have not yet hit our capacity of 3,000 tests in one day, I’m proud that we’re getting close. Our highest daily total to date is 2,356 tests.”
Posted inCommunity/News
Almost 40 days after Test Iowa opened its first site, the state has now hit its daily testing goal for the second time
Gov. Kim Reynolds announced on Tuesday the state met its goal of processing 5,000 tests a day on both Saturday and Monday. When Reynolds announced the creation of Test Iowa in April, she said the testing it would perform would give the state a 5,000-test-a-day capacity. The governor has repeatedly used that capacity as a […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Most of Iowa’s remaining COVID-19 restrictions have now expired
More COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in Iowa on Monday, in accordance with orders issued over the past two weeks by Gov. Kim Reynolds. As of today, only three types of businesses remain closed by the governor’s public health proclamation — theaters that feature live performances indoors, including any indoor performance venue other than a restaurant […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Two lawmakers call for an oversight committee investigation of Test Iowa, as the Iowa legislature prepares to reconvene
When the Iowa legislature reconvenes this week, the House of Representatives’ Government Oversight Committee will have to consider a request from two lawmakers to investigate Test Iowa. The legislature suspended its 2020 session on March 16 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lawmakers will return to the capitol on Wednesday, June 3 to complete work left […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Another 344 Iowans test positive for COVID-19 as bars reopen
On Saturday, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported another 344 Iowans had tested positive for COVID-19, including four residents of Johnson County and four residents of Linn County. The new cases bring the total number of Iowans who have tested positive for the virus to 19,135 as of 10 a.m. on Saturday. IDPH also […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa’s new eviction and foreclosure aid program excludes many potential applicants
On Friday, Iowa launched a program to help people facing eviction or foreclosure due to hardship caused by COVID-19, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced at her daily press conference. But very few currently receiving unemployment benefits will likely qualify for help from the Iowa Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Program. The program is being administered by the […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa marks 500 COVID-19 deaths as virus reaches all 99 counties, Reynolds acknowledges ‘substantial spread’
In an unusual move, Gov. Kim Reynolds began her press conference on Thursday by turning the podium over to Iowa Department of Public Health Deputy Director Sarah Reisetter. At Wednesday’s press conference, Reisetter had revealed it is department policy not to confirm the existence of a COVID-19 outbreak at a business, unless directly asked about […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Some counties see sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, but Iowa’s top health official ‘continues to be fine with what we’re seeing,’ Gov. Reynolds says
Despite sharp increases in COVID-19 case numbers in some parts of central and western Iowa — Wright County went from 25 cases last week to 124 by Wednesday morning, and the Iowa Department of Public Health has reported more than 400 new cases in Buena Vista County since Tuesday — IDPH Medical Director Dr. Caitlin […]
