New numbers from state health officials show several more deaths from the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, as well as hundreds of new cases amid increased testing. The Iowa Department of Public Health yesterday reported 384 new positive tests for COVID-19 since the day before, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state since the pandemic began to 5,476.
Six more people were killed by the disease in the previous 24 hours, according to state health officials. One was a middle-aged adult in Black Hawk County, and one was an elderly adult in Linn County…two deaths reported in Johnson County, plus one each in Clinton and Des Moines counties. The total number of deaths from the illness in Iowa is 118.
Today is also the first day that elective surgeries in hospitals can resume; Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Friday that restrictions on those procedures were the first to be lifted in an effort to reopen the state. Open farmer’s markets are also no longer prohibited. The governor indicated more “phase one” resumptions would be announced this week.
The state’s veterans home has reported its first two COVID-19 cases among residents. The home’s commandant says one resident tested positive Friday and another Saturday during mass testing at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. He says they were transferred immediately to the VA hospital in Des Moines for precautionary care. We told you previously about state workers union concerns about confirmed cases among staff there.
The family and children services organization Four Oaks has had members of its staff test positive for COVID-19. An undisclosed number of staff tested positive for the virus Friday.
Iowa’s three major public universities are planning to resume in-person classes in the fall, but they are still working out the details of what that will look like in light of the coronavirus outbreak. Iowa Board of Regents President Mike Richards said the universities will follow state and federal guidelines to protect health as they develop plans for thousands of students to return to the campus at the University of Northern Iowa, University of Iowa, and Iowa State University. Students have been attending classes on line since returning from spring break last month.
American Airlines has provided notice to the City of Waterloo and the Waterloo Regional Airport that twice-daily service from Waterloo to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport will resume next Sunday. Service had been cut to once-daily due to the coronavirus. Service remains dependent on the number of passengers.
One person is dead after fire broke out at a home in Charles City. Officials say the fire was reported just before 2:30 early Saturday morning. Firefighters found heavy smoke and determined the fire was confined to the kitchen area. The victim was found during a search of the home. Fire officials say the victim was alone in the home. An investigation determined that the fire was likely caused by cooking materials overheating.
The Clayton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating several daytime burglaries of homes and vehicles over the past few days. Authorities say most of the thefts took place near Strawberry Point and appear to be targeting power tools, cash and credit cards. Victims have described a possible vehicle used in the crimes. It is identified as an older tan colored Mercury Grand Marquis. The Sheriff’s Office is now warning everyone, particularly farmers currently out in the fields, to make sure all tools and valuables are secure while they’re working.
Prairie Meadows Hotel & Casino near Des Moines will lay off nearly all its staff members beginning next week. Danny Homan, the president of AFSCME Council 61 which represents Prairie Meadows employees, said the layoffs will begin May 3rd. The Altoona casino, owned by Polk County and operated by a non-profit board of directors, employs more than 1,300 people. A county official says all but about 70 staff members will be temporarily laid off. The official said the laid-off staff will still receive health benefits and the casino hopes to reopen on June 1.
Police in Iowa City say they are investigating another instance of shots fired in the city…the 15th shots fired call so far this year, more than the total for all of last year. Police say at about 6:15 Saturday evening they received multiple reports of gunshots near the 1900 block of Taylor Drive. That’s on the city’s east side just off Highway 6. No indication that anyone was hurt, but police did find several shell casings in the street
Police in Sumner are looking for the person or people responsible for a break in at a museum in that town. More than $10,000 in damage was done when someone broke into the Memories are Forever Museum, the former Sumner High School, sometime between Thursday and Friday of last week. Substantial damage was done to the building and memorabilia within. Anyone with information should call Sumner Police.
Officials at the University of Iowa are investigating the Sigma Chi chapter there after the fraternity was accused of holding a party in violation of the state’s order banning gatherings of 10 or more people. The party took place March 28 with as many as 50 people and may have involved underaged drinking. Iowa City police confirmed receiving a report of a party at the Sigma Chi house, but said no officer responded to the scene.
