Monday just before noon the Iowa Governor’s office announced that two Iowans with COVID-19 have died. One of those is an elderly individual in Washington County. As of Sunday afternoon the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Henry County Public Health have identified a third case of COVID-19 in the county. They are self-isolating at home.
As of Monday at noon a case has now been confirmed in Van Buren County and five more in Washington County bringing that total to 18.
Des Moines County has one confirmed case. Lee, Jefferson, and Louisa Counties still no confirmed cases of the virus.
“We continue to remind residents to take preventive measures to slow the spread of this virus,” said Henry County Public Health Director Shelley Van Dorin. “It’s important for everyone to stay home as much as possible and to practice social distancing – this means to stay away from groups of people, and to keep a 6-foot distance from other individuals.”
Symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever (100.4 or greater) and shortness of breath. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should call your health care provider before going into the office. The provider may have special instructions for you and will determine if you should be tested.
All residents should:
- Stay home when even mildly ill (the kind of illness that normally wouldn’t prevent you from your everyday activities)
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow/upper arm.
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
For up-to-date information from Iowa Department of Public Health related to COVID-19, visit https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus. For recent fact sheets, resources, and local organization updates, visit www.HealthyHenryCounty.org/PublicHealth.