Gov. Reynolds announced today that all school districts and nonpublic schools will remain closed for the remainder of the school year, which includes the cancellation of spring sports activities. She also announced the state will waive instructional time requirements for the remainder of the current academic year for schools that continue to provide continuous learning either through voluntary or required educational services, or a combination of the two. Schools must also submit a “Return to Learn Plan” to the Iowa Department of Education by July 1. This plan will outline how they will address disruptions to learning due to the pandemic. Options could include summer school, enrichment activities, or other opportunities to address the needs of students.
The Iowa Department of Public Health on Friday announced 191 new cases of COVID-19 in Iowa as well as four new deaths. That brings the totals in Iowa to 2,332 confirmed cases and 64 deaths. These most recent deaths were in Black Hawk, Scott, Washington and Tama Counties. The Black Hawk death was noted yesterday afternoon by county officials and was the first in the county.
Iowa’s unemployment rate climbed to 3.7% in March as the state began to see the impact of an economic downturn amid efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Iowa Workforce Development reported today the jobless rate increased from 2.8% in February. Despite the jump in the unemployment rate, officials say the March rate only reflects the beginning of the economic slowdown. The U.S. unemployment rate for March was 4.4%
More than 60 employees at the University of Iowa Health Care campus in Iowa City have tested positive for COVID-19, hospital administrators acknowledged. Of the 64 employees infected to date, four tested positive Thursday alone.
It now appears a University of Northern Iowa employee has tested positive for coronavirus, the first known case on campus. UNI President Mark Nook said in a campus-wide statement the unnamed employee self-reported the diagnosis to the university yesterday, was “last on campus more than 30 days ago” and has been self-isolating since being diagnosed. Nook said he does “not expect to report additional confirmed cases through campus-wide messages moving forward.” The university did not announce the case to the general public or the news media.
