Gov. Kim Reynolds has announced a plan to dramatically increase Iowa’s capacity to test for the coronavirus. Under the Test Iowa plan, the state’s 3.2 million residents will be asked to complete an online health assessment. Those who have symptoms or who have been exposed to the coronavirus will be eligible for free tests at drive-thru sites. The state will alert the contacts of those who test positive. Reynolds says Iowa has signed a contract to purchase 540,000 tests over the next six months. She says that will increase the state’s testing capability by 3,000 tests per day. Iowa is only the second state in the country to employ this technology, following successful implementation in Utah. The website is testiowa.com.
The 2020 Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival has been canceled to help prevent the further spread of COVID-19. The Freedom Festival includes events like the Tribute to Heroes Dinner, Balloon Glow, Parade, dockdogs, Freedom Bike Ride, Pancake Breakfast, & Celebration of Freedom Fireworks. The festival is set to resume in 2021, from June 17th through July 4th. Souvenir 2020 festival buttons will go on sale May 1st at all Cedar Rapids and Marion area Hy-Vee stores for $5 each, to help defray costs already incurred for the now-cancelled festival this year.
The Iowa Department of Public Health announced 482 new cases of COVID-19 in Iowa and an additional four deaths yesterday. The 482 new cases is the largest single-day total of new cases. The updated numbers brings the total of confirmed cases to 3,641 and 83 deaths in Iowa. The new deaths occurred in long term care facilities in Linn and Polk County. During the daily news briefing, Gov. Reynolds said that 33 percent of the total cases in Iowa have come from packing plants and 10 percent have come from long term care facilities…but because of the nature of those in care facilities, 51 percent of the deaths in the state have occurred there. Two additional counties, Cherokee and Humbolt, had their first cases.
A new online screening portal, called testiowa.com, is now active to help Iowans determine if they should be tested. State epidemiologist Dr. Caitlin Pedati says the site will also help in tracking potential outbreak areas.
One Iowa pork plant at the center of a major coronavirus outbreak is reopening as another began testing all employees to learn the scope of their infections. Tyson Foods resumed limited operations at its pork processing plant in Columbus Junction, where more than 200 workers have become infected and at least two have died. The plant, which has about 1,400 employees, had been shut down for two weeks after reporting the outbreak. In northern Iowa, Wright County officials reported that 16 employees at a pork processing facility run by Prestage Foods of Iowa have tested positive. Mass testing at the plant began Monday.
Two employees of a skilled nursing facility within Western Home Communities in the Cedar Valley have tested positive for coronavirus. The two employees both work on the second floor of Deery Suites, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility that is a part of Western Home in Cedar Falls. Thirteen residents currently live on the second floor, where both employees work different shifts. All of those residents and their family members have been notified. Neither employee had known exposure to the virus.
Sheriff’s investigators in central Iowa say three people have been found dead in a travel trailer and likely died from accidental carbon monoxide asphyxiation. Story County deputies were called to a residence in the town of Collins just before 8 a.m. yesterday to check on the welfare of people there. Deputies discovered the bodies of three adults inside, including a 62-year-old woman, a 41-year-old woman, and a 20-year-old man. Officials say all three lived there. Three dogs were also found dead inside the trailer. Investigators say there were no signs of foul play.
Magazine publisher and multimedia company Meredith Corp. has announced it will temporarily reduce pay for nearly two-thirds of its employees as it copes with dropping ad revenue caused by the pandemic. The company said about 45 percent of its employees will see a 15 percent pay cut, with the highest-paid employees to have pay reduced by up to 40 percent. A company spokesperson says no employees earning less than $75,000 a year will have their pay cut.
A state audit has found a former Southeast Iowa sheriff’s deputy made more than $7,400 in improper purchases with county money including buying bullets for a personal gun, and buying computers and drones. Former Des Moines County Chief Deputy Jeff White returned about $3,000 worth of items, but more than $4,000 worth could not be located.
