Six additional Iowans have died from coronavirus, bringing the state’s total for the pandemic to 96.  There have also been another 176 positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 3924. Six new cases have been reported in Poweshiek County, for a total of 20.  This goes against what the Poweshiek County Health Department said Wednesday (4/22) that there were 37 total cases of coronavirus after an outbreak had been reported at a Grinnell long term care facility.  Poweshiek County Director of Public Health Shauna Callaway tells the No Coast Network the difference is that not all of the facility’s residents and employees live in Poweshiek County.

At Thursday’s (4/23) news briefing, Governor Kim Reynolds went inside the numbers.

“Eleven of Iowa’s 99 counties accounted for 81 percent of all COVID-19 cases.  Five counties alone had 52 percent of the state’s positive.  And 51 percent of the counties had zero to four cases each.”

Reynolds was referring to data as of Tuesday (4/21).  Monroe County is one of the Iowa counties that has yet to report a case of coronavirus, while Keokuk County has reported three cases of the virus.