North Iowa Reporter

Iowa Governor's Office issued the following announcement on March 16.

Governor Kim Reynolds held a press conference to provide an update to the state of Iowa on current 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) mitigation efforts. That press conference can be viewed in its entirety, here. 

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) also has been notified of one additional positive case of COVID-19 in an Iowa resident, for a total of 23 positive cases. According to IDPH, this individual is a resident of Dallas County. 

IDPH has also expanded their testing capabilities at the State Hygienic Lab by adding a second shift. With testing options now expanding, Iowa expects the numbers of positive cases to increase. 

A status report of monitoring and testing of COVID19 in Iowa provided by IDPH can be found here. 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. 

IWD announced today assistance for workers and employers impacted by layoffs related to COVID-19.  The guidance includes information for employees filing for unemployment insurance claims, as well as information on programs available for employers. More information can be found here. 

COVID-19 was first linked to an outbreak in Wuhan, China, but cases have subsequently been identified in several countries, including the U.S. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Those most at risk of the virus are older adults, and individuals with underlying health conditions.  

Original source can be found here.