The Iowa Department of Public Health (as of 10-a.m. Friday) reports 1,319 new positive COVID-19 cases since Thursday. The IDPH said there have been 33 additional deaths since 10-a.m. Thursday, for a total to-date, of 4,478. Long-Term Care facility deaths are up to 1,839.  In southwest Iowa, one additional death was reported Friday (today) in each of Madison, Mills and Pottawattamie Counties. COVID-19 deaths attributed to Underlying causes amount to 4,076, while COVID was a contributing factor to 402 of the total deaths.

The number of Iowans hospitalized with COVID-19 is at its lowest level since October 7. There are now 450 Iowans hospitalized with the virus, down from 457 the previous day. The number admitted in the last 24 hours dropped from 77 to 66. There are 89 patients in ICU and 34 patients on ventilators. In RMCC Region 4 (Western/southwest Iowa hospitals): 34 are hospitalized w/Covid; 11 are in an ICU; 3 were admitted Thursday, and 2 are on a ventilator. The number of long-term care facilities reporting COVID-19 outbreaks is 69. The state reports 1,868 positive cases and 1,031 recoveries among residents and staff within those facilities.

The health department reports 310,596 total Positive cases, and 273,021 total recoveries since the pandemic began. Positivity rates continue to decline in Iowa. The 14-day Positivity rate declined from 11.3% Thursday to 11.1% today. The 7-day positivity rate also declined from 8.5% to 8.3%. There have been 1,439,736 Iowans tested for COVID-19, with 3,466,465 tests administered in the state.

Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday that Iowa’s vaccination data would be available on the health department website starting next week.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

• Cass, 1,147 cases; {+14}; 43 deaths
• Adair, 693; {+2}; 20
• Adams, 298; {+0}; 3
• Audubon, 417; {+0}; 8
• Guthrie, 1,036 {+1}; 24
• Harrison County, 1,574; {+4}; 62
• Madison County, 1,227; {+13}; 10
• Mills County, 1,381; {+6}; 17
• Montgomery, 874; {+4}; 24
• Pottawattamie County, 9,093; {+27}; 115
• Shelby County, 1041; {+5}; 27
• Union County,  1,102; {+3}; 23

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested on warrants over the past few days. At around 3:15-a.m. Thursday, 27-year old Christian Robert Hoefling was arrested during a traffic stop on I-29. He was taken into custody on a warrant for OWI/1st offense, and for providing false identification information. Bond was set at $1,300. And, Tuesday morning, 32-year old Samantha Renee Rodriguez, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Shelby County warrant for Failure to Appear. Her bond was set at $300.

A woman who was a paraprofessional with the Clarinda Community School District died Thursday morning, when the van she was a passenger in was struck by a semi. The accident happened at around 7:44-a.m. at the intersection of Highways 2 and 59. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2018 Dodge Caravan owned by the South Page School District, was traveling west on Highway 2, when the driver, 70-year-old Chester Lynn Johnson, of Clarinda, failed to stop at the intersection. The van was struck by a 1998 Peterbilt semi, driven by 31-year old Spencer Allyn Lauman, of Coin, who was driving north on Highway 59.

The impact caused the van to spin around. A passenger, 46-year-old Jeanette Helen Carson, of Clarinda, was ejected during the crash. She died at the Shenandoah Hospital. The semi rolled onto its right side and slide into the northwest ditch. The van came to rest in the ditch. Johnson, and a 12-year old Clarinda School District student in the van, were injured during the collision and transported by Shenandoah Rescue to the Shenandoah Hospital.

The intersection was blocked for several hours. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Page and Fremont County Sheriff’s Offices, Shenandoah Fire and Rescue, and the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Maintenance and Motor Vehicle Traffic Enforcement Division. The accident remains under investigation.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Labor unions representing state workers have filed a complaint with the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration, arguing the lack of a mask mandate at the Iowa Capitol threatens the safety of everyone who enters the building.. The Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO President Charles Wishman says in a letter sent to House Speaker Pat Grassley and Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver on Thursday that their refusal to enact or enforce a mandatory mask policy shows a lack of concern about the coronavirus pandemic. The union and representatives from six other Iowa labor unions filed a complaint Thursday with Iowa OSHA. Whitver and Grassley say they believe they’re taking the needed precautions.

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Officials say Iowa will expand the groups who can get a coronavirus vaccine to people ages 65 and older, among others, starting next month. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday that vaccination eligibility will expand to that group, K-12 teachers and staff, first responders and law enforcement personnel in early February even though the federal government hasn’t made good yet on promises to send the state more doses. The expansion can’t come soon enough for Iowa, which is struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The state on Thursday reported another 1,708 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 51 more deaths from the disease, pushing its pandemic death toll to 4,445.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa is asking the U.S. House to dismiss an election contest filed by her Democratic challenger that argues the six-vote race was wrongly decided. Miller-Meeks argues in a legal motion that the Democratic-controlled chamber should not consider Rita Hart’s appeal because Hart did not contest the outcome under Iowa law. An attorney for Miller-Meeks says that Hart “should have raised her claims before a neutral panel of Iowa judges rather than before a political process controlled by her own party.” Hart claims that she has identified 22 votes that were wrongly excluded and would change the outcome if counted.

Atlantic, IA — On Thursday, January 21, 2021 Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds updated Phase 1B to include all persons 65 and older, rather than the previously communicated 75 and older. Cass County Public Health Director Beth Olsen said “We still expect to begin vaccinating 1B populations in February.” She added, “We’re thrilled to see that more people are eligible to receive the vaccine, and we are hoping for great news about when we can expect to receive our allocations.”

If individuals meet the 1B eligibility criteria, they should complete the survey at casshealth.org/covidvaccine or call 712-243-3250 and press 7. Cass County Public Health is collecting contact information for those who want to receive the vaccine. If you have already completed the survey, you do not need to take it again. Cass County Public Health will contact you about an appointment once vaccine is available.