Iowa has surpassed 500 total positive cases of COVID-19 as of Wednesday morning. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), 52 new cases have been confirmed, bringing Iowa’s total now to 549. The IDPH also reports two additional coronavirus-related deaths, marking the ninth death to date. Both individuals were over 81 years old and resided in Polk and Washington Counties. Sixty of Iowa’s 99 counties have now reported at least one case since the pandemic began. Case numbers are unchanged in the listening area with Audubon, Carroll, Crawford and Guthrie Counties at a single case each and Shelby County with three. In their daily update, Carroll County Public Health offered tips to protect yourself and your family while shopping for essentials during the declared state of emergency. Public Health Nurse, Sara Schulte, says “Don’t take the whole family to stores to pick up essential items. One person, one cart, go through, get what you need for this week and get out.” She also urges people to continue practicing physical distancing and to utilize the sanitizing materials provided at store entrances to clean carts and hands. For more information from the IDPH on COVID-19 in Iowa, follow the link included with this story on our website.
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https://idph.iowa.gov/emerging-health-issues/novel-coronavirus
