FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Contact: Black Hawk County Health Department Phone: 319-291-2413
publichealth@co.black-hawk.ia.us
Black Hawk County Prepares for COVID-19
Governor Kim Reynolds confirmed Saturday March 14, 2020 at 8:30pm there is now community spread of COVID-19 in the state after an 18th Iowan tested positive for the virus. The new case is an older adult (61-80 years) in Dallas County.
Community spread occurs when individuals have been infected with the virus in an area and cannot specifically identify the source of the infection, or do not know how or where they became infected.
The 18 cases are now located in Carroll, Dallas, Harrison, Johnson and Pottawattamie counties. There are no cases in Black Hawk County at this time.
- Individuals 60 years of age and older with underlying conditions should stay at home and avoid gatherings or other situations of potential exposures, including travel to affected areas.
- Reduce activities (e.g., group congregation, religious services), especially for organizations with individuals with underlying health conditions.
- Cancel large gatherings (e.g., >250 people, the specific threshold is at the discretion of the community) or move to smaller groupings.
- Implement personal protective measures. We encourage people to: Stay home when sick, wash their hands, cover coughs and sneezes, clean frequently touched surfaces daily.
- Ensure hand hygiene (washing) supplies are readily available in buildings.
- Consider personal social distancing measures: avoid large gatherings (e.g., assemblies), limit the number of attendees per gathering, and consider distance or working remotely or online learning when possible.
- Encourage staff to telework (when feasible), particularly individuals at increased risk of severe illness.
- Limit non-essential work travel and gatherings.
- Follow CDC guidance regarding school closures. If a school-based case is identified, implement short-term suspension for school cleaning and contact tracing. Alter schedules to reduce mixing (e.g., stagger recess, entry/dismissal times).
- Cancel extracurricular activities as needed.
Find local information on COVID-19 and local trends of COVID-19 cases at the IDPH web page: https://idph.iowa.gov/emerging-health-issues/novel-coronavirus.
Download full press release here.