The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has been notified of 73 additional positive cases of Iowans with COVID-19, for a total of 497 positive cases. One death was reported in Muscatine County, a middle-aged (41-60) resident. This was the first Muscatine County death and seventh in Iowa. There have been a total of 6,888 negative tests to date, which includes testing reported by the State Hygienic Lab and other labs.
According to IDPH, the locations and age ranges of the 73 individuals include: Black Hawk County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years); Cedar County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years); Clay County, 1 adult (18-40 years); Clinton County, 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years); Dallas County, 4 adults (18-40 years); Harrison County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years); Iowa County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years); Jasper County, 1 elderly adult (81+); Johnson County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle-age (41-60 years); Jones County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle age (41-60 years); Keokuk County, 1 adult (18-40 years); Linn County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 7 middle age adults (41-60 years), 7 older adults (61-80 years), 2 elderly (81+); Marshall County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years); Muscatine County, 2 middle-age (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years); Polk County, 1 child (0-17), 5 adults (18-40 years), 3 middle age adults (41-60 years), 4 older adult (61-80 years), 2 elderly (81+); Pottawattamie County, 1 middle-age (41-60 years); Scott County, 2 middle-age (41-60 years); Sioux County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years); Tama County, 1 adult (18-40 years); Warren County, 2 middle-age (41-60 years); Washington County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years), 1 elderly (81+).
A status report of monitoring and testing of COVID19 in Iowa is provided by IDPH. In addition, a public hotline has been established for Iowans with questions about COVID-19. The line is available 24/7 by calling 2-1-1 or 1-800-244-7431. The state of Iowa has started sharing the number of negative tests conducted at outside labs, and is providing additional information on the conditions of those infected with COVID-19.
Due in part to an outbreak in a Cedar Rapids nursing home, Linn County (90 cases) has overtaken Johnson County (73 cases) with reporting the most cases. Locally, there have been 16 cases in Muscatine County and nine cases in Cedar County.
Nationwide numbers spike
The United States leads the world in COVID-19 cases with more than 160,000 cases and 3,000 deaths, which is nearing the death toll in China (3,305). New York City has been the hotbed for the virus for more than a week but other major cities such as Detroit, Chicago and New Orleans are now showing a rapid number of cases.
On March 30 alone, there were more than 500 deaths in the U.S. and estimates from the White House virus response team are that the nation could see 100,000 to 200,000 deaths.