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BREAKING: Outbreak of COVID-19 in Cedar Rapids nursing home; 21 cases linked to facility

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March 30th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — State officials have confirmed there’s an outbreak of COVID-19 at a Cedar Rapids nursing home. Governor Kim Reynolds made the announcement Monday afternoon:

“Twenty-one of Linn County’s 71 total positive COVID-19 cases are directly related to this outbreak,” Reynolds says. “State and local public health officials are working closely with the facility regarding the care of those who are sick and assisting with the monitoring of residents and staff.”

Last week, Reynolds issued an order that all staff entering any long-term care facility in the state be screened for a fever, as that’s one of the key symptoms of COVID-19. Some city and county officials in the state have been asking the governor to issue a statewide “stay at home” order, but she says the data does not indicate that move is necessary at this point.