Mills County Public Health officials said Friday that have been notified of two additional positive confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Mills County. This brings the total number of confirmed positive cases to nine in our county. A total of 132 Mills County residents have been tested to date. The new cases are both adults, one in the age range of 18-40 years and one in the age range of 41-60. One virus was contracted through community spread and one through close contact with a positive case.

Mills County Public Health is currently conducting contact investigations to identify and follow-up with any people who had close contact with the ill individual. Close contacts are educated about self-monitoring their health status by our health department nurses. They are required to do daily symptom and temperature checks; as well as quarantine themselves for 14 days as a precaution.

Three of the cases have recovered and the remaining six cases are being followed by Mills County Public Health.

URBANDALE, Iowa (AP) — Vice President Pence told a group of faith leaders in Iowa of the “burden” of being absent from church and expressed the importance of resuming religious services that have largely been halted as officials sought to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Pence spoke Friday with the religious leaders and Republican officials during a brief visit to the Des Moines area.

Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a discussion with local faith leaders to encourage them to resume in-person church services in a responsible fashion in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Friday, May 8, 2020, in Urbandale, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

He was set to speak later in the day with agricultural and food company executives. Pence said not attending religious services has “been a burden. It’s been a source of heartache for people across the country.”

ATLANTIC, Iowa – May 8, 2020 – Work to repair the Interstate 29 ramps at the interchange with Fremont County Road J-24 (exit 20) near Thurman requires closing the ramps to traffic starting Monday, May 11, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 4 Office.

The interchange was damaged during the 2019 floods and repairs were deferred until the United States Army Corps of Engineers could complete work on a nearby levee. Repairs to Fremont County Road J-24 will also need to be completed by the Fremont County Secondary Road Department before the interchange will be reopened to traffic.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The Pottawattamie County Public Health Department says there are eight new positive cases of COVID-19 to report today (Friday). Seven are from Council Bluffs and one is from Oakland. The total number of COVID-19 cases in Pott. County is now 80. Currently, 42 individuals are self-isolating, one is hospitalized, 35 have recovered, and there have been two deaths (as previously reported).

The State of Iowa has released an updated COVID-19 dashboard on www.coronavirus.iowa.gov. The improved dashboard is updated daily to include comprehensive tracking of COVID-19 in Iowa. The State’s dashboard contains total number of cases, recoveries, deaths, tests conducted, and Iowa’s epidemiological curve.

The dashboard is interactive and allows you to explore cases by county. Select a county name within the map or table to filter to specific counties. Here you will find demographic information including positive case age groups and gender, as well as information regarding race and ethnicity.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa processed its most coronavirus testing in a 24-hour period since the pandemic began as the state allowed some businesses in its largest metropolitan areas to partially reopen. The state’s coronavirus website reported Friday that 3,809 tests were conducted Thursday and that 403, or less than 11 percent of them, were positive. It was the lowest daily rate of positive tests in a month, following a week of steady decline.

Still, the state reported 12 more people had died from COVID-19, bringing the official death toll to 243. A slight increase of 417 people were hospitalized, including more than 100 fighting for their lives on ventilators.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Supreme Court issued a rare split decision in a case involving court fees. Lori Mathes appealed the dismissal of a possession of marijuana charge after being ordered to pay more than 28-hundred dollars for a court-appointed attorney. She said in the appeal the dismissal was based on a bad warrant and she only agreed to pay the fees if they were under 500 dollars to get the issue over with. She says an assessment should have been done on her ability to pay the fees. The Monona County District Court threw out the appeal — saying a defendant does not have the right to appeal following the dismissal of charges.

The Iowa Supreme Court reviewed the case and three justices voted to uphold the district court ruling — while three said they would vacate the ruling — and one justice did not take part. With no deciding vote, the district court ruling stands.

A man being held in the Sac County Jail was arrested Thursday morning, on a warrant out of Mills County. Sheriff’s officials say 19-year old Michael John William Lyons, of Carroll, was transported to the Mills County Jail, and held on $10,000 bond associated with a warrant for Violation of Probation.