Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds today (Thursday), updated the latest COVID-19 data from across the State.

The northeast region of the State (RMCC Region 6) is being ordered to follow more stringent  guidelines for social distancing, due to the number of COVID-19 cases, which have reached a predetermined threshold for action.

(She said the region was elevated to Level 10 in large part due to the Long Term Care Facility (LTC) outbreaks, the severity of the illness, and the rate of hospitalization.”)

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds updates the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak during a news conference at the State Emergency Operations Center, Thursday, April 16, 2020, in Johnston, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, pool)

It also takes into account the increase in virus activity in that area of the State. RMCC Region 6 includes Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Grundy, Howard, Jones, Linn, and Winneshiek counties.

Reynolds said effective tonight at midnight (11:59-p.m. Thursday), all counties in Region 6 must cease through April 30th, all gatherings for social, community, recreational, leisure or sporting activities.

All Iowan’s she said, should continue to practice social distancing and follow the previously recommended spread prevention strategies.  The Governor reports also, there are:

• 146 NEW, positive COVID-19 cases, for a total of 2,141.
• Zero new counties added to the list of counties with COVID-19, for a total of 82.
• There were 660 COVID-19 Negative cases, for a total of 18,543.*(Corrected ‘total’ figure from earlier)
• The State Hygienic Lab has 2,588 tests available.
• 987 people have recovered, for a recovery rate of 46%.
• Seven people have died since the last press conference on Wednesday, for a total of 60.

  (Updated) The additional 7 deaths were reported in the following counties:

  • Allamakee County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
  • Linn County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
  • Polk County, 1 adult, 1 older adult, 1 elderly adult (81+)
  • Louisa County, 1 middle-age (41-60 years)
  • Tama County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
• 49% of those deaths in Iowa were connected to Long Term Care Facilities.
• There were two new LTC outbreaks: Linn Manor Care Center in Linn County, and Lutheran Senior Campus in Muscatine County. That brings the total number of LTC outbreaks to nine.

Across all of the RMCC Regions, Wednesday, there 175 COVID-19 patients hospitalized; 24 were admitted over the past 24 hours; 84 were being treated in ICU’s; 48 patients are on ventilators. Governor Reynolds also spoke about a new program being launched a few days, called “Test Iowa.”

The state of Iowa has released an updated dashboard on coronavirus.iowa.gov that will be updated daily to include comprehensive tracking of COVID-19 in Iowa.