There hasn’t been much of a change in the COVID-19 numbers we posted this morning, as part of the Iowa Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) COVID-19 dashboard report. The number of  deaths from the virus over the past 24 hours total of 564, with four having taken place since Tuesday. A total of 164,135 Iowans have been tested for the virus, with 20,012 testing positive, 143, 692 testing negative, and 11, 892 persons recovered. The numbers show a slight decline or are nearly flat, depending on the statistics.

IDPH reports 314 are currently hospitalized with the virus, while 116 are listed in intensive care. There were 15 persons admitted to hospital in the last 24 hours and 76 patients on ventilators. IDPH also reports one more LTC outbreak, for a total of 42. There have been 1,595 positive cases, with 764 recovered and 283 deaths. Those numbers also continue to remain relatively flat, with increased testing.

The Region 4 Regional Medical Coordination Center (RMCC)  data – covering hospitals in western/southwest Iowa – continues to show 10 Iowans are hospitalized, 8 are in an ICU, none were admitted over the past 24-hours, and 2 are on ventilators. Those numbers continue a downward trend. Here are the latest county-by-county numbers for Cass & surrounding Counties (with the number recovered in parenthesis) and a 24-hour change (as of the last check) marked by an *:

• Cass: 12 (11)
• Adair: 9 (6)* [1 more recovered than Tuesday]
• Adams: 7 (4)
• Audubon: 13 (8)* [1 more positive case]
• Guthrie: 53 (30)
• Montgomery: 8 (6)
• Pottawattamie: 274 (172)* [2 more positive cases/3 more recovered]
• Shelby: 37 (31)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature has returned to finish work left when the coronavirus pandemic surfaced in Iowa in March and prompted state officials to close the state Capitol. Lawmakers began work Wednesday and are expected to meet for at least two weeks to complete work on a budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 and address policy measures on which House and Senate leaders reach agreement. Temperatures will be checked at the door and masks will be provided.

Meeting rules have been established to allow lawmakers to be at least 6 feet apart. Committee meetings and floor debates will be streamed on the internet.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa faced a shortage of nurses prior to COVID-19 and now there’s fear of a deepening demand for those health care professionals as the pandemic may bring more rapid burnout. Kate Judge, executive director of the American Nurses Foundation, says a new national well-being initiative targets only nurses, of which there are about 60-thousand in Iowa. “Even before this pandemic, nurses were under extraordinary stress,” Judge says, “and now we have some tools that are specifically designed for nurses, by nurses, that can help them and they’re all free.” The initiative allows nurses to pick what types of service they may need when they need it, using the website Nursing World-dot-org.

“We have something that allows people to do some writing and journaling, if that’s for them,” Judge says. “We have peer-to-peer where people can call in and talk about all the issues that affect them. What we’re hearing from nurses is, it’s not just talking about what’s happening in their clinical environment. They’re talking about their work, their career, their family, life balance.” There’s one-on-one talk therapy available and even an app that enables nurses to track their moods. Judge says there are more than 48-thousand R-Ns and another 12-thousand L-P-Ns with active licenses in Iowa. She says it’s still unclear how coronavirus will impact their numbers.

“We’re concerned that the pandemic will decrease the number of nurses wanting to stay in nursing,” Judge says. “They’ve been in a position where their safety has been a concern, their families’ safety has been a concern. We’re also seeing some positive things where people are responding and saying, ‘I want to be on the front lines.'” Prior to the pandemic, a study found burnout among nurses was at an all-time high, with an estimated 63-percent of nurses exhibiting symptoms including job-induced stress, anxiety and depression.

The American Nurses Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association, with the mission to “transform the nation’s health through the power of nursing.”
nursingworld.org

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a female passenger in a vehicle that was involved in an accident late Tuesday morning, complained of pain, but was not transported to the hospital. Authorities say the 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by 24-year old Aaron Michael Cox, of Corning, was traveling west on Cromwell Road at around 11:40-p.m., Tuesday, when the car went out of control due to its speed. An argument between Cox and his passenger, 23-year old Sara Louann Baker, of Creston, was also said to have contributed to Cox’ loss of control. Both subjects were wearing their seat belts.

When Cox slammed on the brakes, the car skidded into the south ditch. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $4,500. No citations were issued.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police say a 15-year-old girl has been arrested in a man’s death that was initially reported to police as a suicide. Police said in a news release Wednesday that the teen was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in the the death of 37-year-old Zachary Brooks of Des Moines. Brooks was found dead in an apartment Monday evening after someone called authorities to report a suicide there. The officers who arrived found Brooks’ body, but said his death didn’t appear to be a suicide.

Police later declared Brooks’ death as the city’s 12th homicide of the year. Police have given no details of how Brooks died or what led to the teen’s arrest.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a 17-year old male was arrested at around 10:45-p.m. Tuesday, following a reported, possible disturbance on the lawn of a residence in the 18,800 block of Evergreeen, in Council Bluffs. The unidentified juvenile faces a charge of Assault with the intent to inflict serious injury on a 39-year old male. No serious injuries were reported, though.

The City Council in Walnut will hold an electronic meeting 5-p.m. Thursday, with some members present at the Walnut Community Center. On their agenda, is discussion with regard to the closure of City properties: Concession Stands, and Community Center/Fitness Center. The Council is expected to act on:

• Permission to close: One block of Walnut Street June 5th & 6th for a Chalk Art Event; Streets for the Walnut Fall Festival on Oct. 10th and 11th.
• They’ll also act on merchants’ request for Street Displays June 19th, 20th & 21st.
• The appointment of a City of Walnut Zoning Administrator.

Other discussion items will include:

• Reinstating utility disconnections for non-payment
• Possibly raising customer water deposits and water re-connection fees.
• Consider the possible adoption of a Resolution setting fees relative to zoning in the City of Walnut.
• Consideration of the possible adoption of Resolutions pertaining to the transferring of funds into the Debt Service, General, Capital Improvement, and other funds.

Persons interesting in viewing/attending the meeting at 5-p.m. on Thursday, may do so via go-to-meeting.com, may use this link: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/600257781

You can also dial in using your phone: United States: +1 (646) 749-3112   Access Code: 600-257-781