(Radio Iowa) — Local public health officials say one-fifth of the state’s confirmed COVID-19 cases are in Black Hawk County and more than 90 percent of the county’s cases are connected to the Tyson pork processing plant in Waterloo. Dr. Mathew Sojka, the chief medical officer for Mercy One in Waterloo, says it’s a scary time.

“We don’t know if another surge is going to occur,” he says. “I’m very nervous about that with seeing the numbers in the community increase like they have over the last week.” Dr. Sharon Duclos is medical director at People’s Community Health Clinic in Waterllo. She says health care workers are going through an emotional roller coaster.

“It’s hard because you start to go through the grief of realizing, again, this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon,” she says. Dr. Duclos says her greatest fear is a member of her staff will contract the virus. Black Hawk County public health officials say one percent of the county’s population has tested positive for the coronavirus. Eleven resident of Black Hawk County have died of the virus.