Iowa is number one in the nation for states where coronavirus is spreading fastest.
That spot was secured according to MSN and 24/7 Wall Street, a financial news and commentary website. It compared the number of confirmed cases and deaths from April 16 to April 23, showing a 75.1 percent one-week increase for Iowa, the highest in the country.
In just the two days since that time period, Iowa has had two days in a row of the highest-yet new confirmed case totals, so the rate is even higher now than what the group found.
Today, Iowa’s statewide totals were 5,092 cases and 112 deaths. A week ago, it was 2,513 cases and 74 deaths. In that period of time, the number of cases increased by 2,579, or 102.6 percent.
North Dakota and Nebraska are second and third in the overall ranking.
According to data compiled by the New York Times, as of Saturday evening, three Iowa metros — Sioux City, Waterloo-Cedar Falls and Des Moines — are in the top 15 metro areas with the highest average daily growth rate of cases. Sioux City is first, Waterloo-Cedar Falls is fourth and Des Moines is eleventh. [Update: on Sunday, those three metros were all in the top 6].
No other state has more than two cities in the top 15.
In that seven-day period from April 18 to today, outbreaks at long-term care facilities, manufacturing centers and meatpacking plants in the state — or just over the border — have driven the number of cases up across Iowa.
Black Hawk County now has the highest number of cases in the state with nearly 800. There, a Tyson Fresh Meats plant in Waterloo was the biggest source of the outbreak. The plant finally shut down after local leaders put pressure on the company.
A Nebraska meatpacking plant is the most likely source of the explosion in cases seen in Woodbury County, on the other side of the state. There, 396 cases have been reported after having only 35 last Saturday.
Iowa’s first confirmed case was on March 8. Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered the closure of schools and non-essential businesses in mid-March. She’s never issued a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order for the state, and said Friday she would announce how she plans to reopen Iowa’s economy — starting with elective surgeries and farmers’ markets — on Monday.
by Nikoel Hytrek
Posted 4/25/20
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19 Comments on "Iowa’s COVID-19 Spread Fastest In Country This Past Week"
With the virus spreading so quickly. the governor better not open places up!! We will be in a bigger “mess” than we are now!!!!!!\
You failed to mention that the reason the numbers were so high is because mass testing was done in meatpacking plants and long-term care facilities. Most of the people who post tested positive had no symptoms. This didn’t happen overnight… and only showed up because of finally being able to do mass testing. If other states went in and did mass testing at factories I guarantee their numbers would jump overnight as well.
So sorry it is spreading so fast, shame on the Company for letting this happen
Come to Council Bluffs,IA meat packing plant. Majority do not speak English or very little. They need tested. Along with many others. No one is listening to these people.
Why reopen the state of Iowa we are asking for more trouble . I think if gov we of put stay at order wks ago we wouldn’t be in this boat that we are now in . So before we open up the state . I think the increase needs to flatten out is my option other wise it’s just going to be a cycle that won’t stop .
thanks for your work, trying to square hospitals doing elective procedures with the announced state shortage of PPE have we since filled all the projected need for protective gear?
Iowa Peeps stay home. Dont listen to those telling you to go out or back to work until the science gets worked out. Please.
Why are we not testing all meat plant workers before we open this state. Governor pushed to keep them open but doesn’t want to test. Hmmm. Come to Denison!! We ARE ppl too!!
She started re-opening parts of the state on Monday, April 27th, It is Wednesday, April 29th. You really want to blame the re-opening for the significant jump in cases? As Charlie Brown would say, Good Grief!!!
Oh my God!! I had NO idea!! Please do not open the state! Please!!
If we reopen iowa we will spike like crazy in numbers. Everyone will be sent back to work and exposed. My husband has had to wprk during this and honestly we should have a shelter in place order. We are all going to get this and spread it to everyone if we reopen.
I think Iowa should open their own PPE factories so we won’t have to rely on other people/states. Plus it would help our employment situation. We have companies here that could manufacture ventilators.
This is why we shouldn’t open our state and need a shelter in place. All the people I. Those packing ant employees ha e been spreading it all over. The gov needs to get her head out of Trump’s ass and do what’s good for Iowa.
Should never have shut down in the first place since everyone is going to get it anyway
I think it is too early to open up the state. We need to get the number of cases down. We are reporting staggering numbers. Wake up citizens it will only get worse.
#’s may be up because of mass testing but does that bring the death till up also. Anyone that goes back that thinks they are safe needs to think again. I have had friends and relatives go back and are off from Covid now. It is not safe as long as not anyone takes this serious. Why when #’s go up the more the state lightens up.