Officials with the Creston Police Department report a man from Missouri was arrested just before 1-a.m. today (Thursday), in the 300 block of N. Birch Street. 31-year old Lance Wood, of Lexington, MO., was arrested for Public Intoxication. Wood was being held in the Union County Jail on a $300 bond.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Audubon County Public Health have identified an additional case of COVID-19 in the county. Officials have not yet disclosed the age bracket of the person affected, or other details. The data had not been updated on the IDPH website as of this (Thursday) morning. The previous COVID-19 case was reported near the end of March, was in a person age 61-to 80 who was self-isolating at home.

Audubon County Public Health Director Bob Nelson, Wednesday, issued some tips on how to help prevent the spread of the virus. It’s important, he said, for everyone to stay home as much as possible and to practice social distancing – this simply means to stay away from groups of people, and to keep a 6-foot distance from other individuals.”

Nelson said symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever (with a temperature of 100.4-degrees or greater), and shortness of breath. If you experience those symptoms, call your health care provider before going into their office.

All residents should continue to practice:

• Staying home when even mildly ill (the kind of illness that normally wouldn’t prevent you from your everyday activities)
• Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow/upper arm.
• Washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

In addition, leave your home only for essential errands like getting groceries or getting medication. And when you run those types of errands, send only one person from the household, if possible.

Police in Red Oak report the arrest at around 5-p.m. Wednesday, of 38-year old Jesse Donald Trost. The Red Oak man was taken into custody in the 1700 block of E. Summit Street, for Carrying Weapons, and Public Intoxication. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) — Nearly 900 Iowa National Guard soldiers have been called to active duty to help in the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Adjutant General Benjamin Corell says 150 of those soldiers are at call centers in Cedar Rapids, Sioux City and Johnston, helping determine the spread of the virus through contract tracing.

“These soldiers and airmen are assisting the Iowa Department of Public Health in their efforts to contact Iowans who have tested positive for the virus,” Corell says, “in order to help identify other persons and places that may have been exposed.” Coronavirus outbreaks in small Iowa counties have overwhelmed the limited number of local public health staff available to do the kind of investigations that identify people who may have been exposed to the virus and encourage them to isolate themselves to prevent spreading COVID-19.

Corell says the information soldiers collect through their conversations is turned over to the state. “The Iowa National Guard members supporting these missions have been thoroughly trained by public health professionals to gather and properly handle personal information required to determine potential COVID-19 exposure,” Corell says. A few weeks ago, Governor Reynolds indicated employees in the Iowa Department of Public Health would also be reassigned to do this work, but there has been no indication when or how many may be joining the effort.

Until a COVID-19 vaccine is available, experts say social distancing will be necessary until there’s widespread testing, followed by quickly tracking down people who were around someone who has the illness. Beyond the contact tracing mission, another 25 soldiers are picking up, transporting and unloading food for the state’s six regional food banks. “We are Iowans helping Iowans, neighbors helping neighbors,” Corell says.

In addition, guard soldiers are distributing COVID-19 test kits around the state and returning samples to the State Hygienics Lab. Others are providing administrative and logistical support to the “Test Iowa” sites in Des Moines and Waterloo.