Reynolds — who is on a “modified quarantine” after potentially being exposed to the virus at the White House last week — had planned to announce which business closures she would allow to expire Friday and which she would extend through May. But she was still looking at data, and now expects an announcement Wednesday.
Restaurants in 22 counties — including Black Hawk — remain closed to sit down traffic. Statewide, bars, salons, barber shops, movie theaters, casinos, museums and several other businesses are ordered closed until Friday.
“I know that Iowans and businesses are eager to know what’s next, but as I’ve said all along, these decisions must be made carefully and backed by data. I look forward to providing that update tomorrow,” Reynolds said during her daily news briefing at the state emergency operations center.
The state reported Tuesday that another 539 Iowans tested positive for coronavirus Tuesday — including 319 Iowa workers at a Tyson beef plant in Nebraska last month. Nebraska had delayed reporting those results to Iowa. Iowa now has surpassed 13,000 cases and 291 deaths in 94 of its 99 counties.
That’s more cases than each of Iowa’s neighbors except Illinois. Iowa has the 14th-highest number of cases per capita among all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Black Hawk County added seven cases and one death Tuesday for a total of 1,768 cases and 30 deaths.
Reynolds noted many businesses and churches have been “very cautious” in reopening in places the state has otherwise allowed them to reopen.
“I respect those restrictions; lifting those restrictions is not a mandate,” Reynolds said. “We’re taking a phased approach that allows us to start small. Each business will determine what’s right for them.”
But she said despite an increase in deaths — the 18 reported Tuesday were the second-highest number yet — allowing businesses that choice was important.
“It’s important that we don’t lose sight of the unintended consequences that our response to COVID-19 has had,” Reynolds said.
She cited the high number of unemployment claims, a few dozen farm bankruptcies and the mental health toll staying at home was having on residents.
Many of the latest deaths are related to outbreaks at long-term care facilities. Of 444 such facilities across the state, 32 had verified outbreaks of coronavirus, including three in Black Hawk County, two in Tama County and one in Bremer County.
Reynolds said she believed the state had gotten “in front of” those outbreaks by sending strike teams to test long-term care employees, noting 115 such facilities already have tested their staff.
Meanwhile, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that 19 inmates at the county jail had tested positive for COVID-19. The jail is keeping affected inmates in isolation.
Remdesivir
Iowa Department of Public Health deputy director Sarah Reisetter noted Tuesday that Iowa had received 400 vials of remdesivir, an antiviral drug authorized by the FDA for emergency use in treating critical COVID-19 patients.Each patient needs between six and nine vials of the drug for treatment, Reisetter said, meaning the state’s supply of the drug will go to a maximum of 66 patients, and only at hospitals that meet the criteria to receive the drug from the State Hygenic Lab.
“We are hopeful that remdesivir will be another helpful tool in managing this pandemic,” she said.
Waterloo death
Also Tuesday, Tyson Foods confirmed an immigrant from Congo who worked at the pork processing plant in Waterloo has died of the coronavirus.The Congoloese community in Waterloo has been mourning the death of Axel Kabeya, which several members announced Sunday on social media.
A Congolese newspaper reported Kabeya was one of the community’s best-known figures in Waterloo, where hundreds of refugees have settled in recent years. He’s survived by a wife and children. His age wasn’t immediately available.
Tyson Fresh Meats spokeswoman Liz Croston confirmed the death, saying the company was “deeply saddened by the loss of a team member at our Waterloo facility.”
The plant has had one of the largest coronavirus outbreaks in the nation, and more than 1,000 of its 2,800 workers have tested positive. After suspending production for two weeks, the plant reopened with new safety measures last week.
Croston said Tyson is confirming only three deaths of Waterloo workers from coronavirus. Local officials say they can’t release the number of workers who’ve died.
Advocates and family members have said that at least four workers have died at the plant, Tyson’s largest pork facility. After Kabeya, the others include a 65-year-old white man, a 60-year-old Latino man and a 58-year-old Bosnian woman.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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