Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds provided a status report today (Wednesday) on the number of COVID-19 cases to date, in Iowa. As of today, there were 97 new, positive COVID-19 cases in Iowa from the past 24-hours, for a total of 1,145. Worth County was added to the list of Counties with positive COVID-19 cases, for a total of 79 out of Iowa’s 99 counties. Reynolds said also, the IDPH reported 1,151 negative COVID-19 test results, for a total of 12,821. The State Hygienic Lab has the capability of testing 1,329 individuals. The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients is 122. Those who are recovering at home number 431, or 38% of those who have tested positive. One person over the age of 81 from Linn County, has died from the virus.

Reynolds said “Currently, we’re leveraging State and Federal assistance to provide much needed relief to Iowa workers and businesses now, and to help get them through this challenging time til we are fully open for business again.” “Two weeks ago,” she said we announced a small business relief program. A one-stop shop for Iowa businesses to seek assistance to tax deferral, including sales and withholding taxes and grants to assist with short-term cash flow needs. Since then, the Iowa Dept. of Revenue has received 5,700 tax deferral applications, and expects to approve another 2,300 this week while continuing to review the rest. All applicants in good standing with the Iowa Dept. of Revenue will be approved and notified by mail.”

Reynolds said when a deferral is granted, taxpayers will have 60 days from the original due date to pay their balance due. Penalties and interest will be waived for those 60 days. The application process remains open through April.  Reynolds announced also, she is expanding the original $4-million for the Iowa Small Business Program, to 24-million, which will be provided through the State Economic Emergency Fund from the Iowa Economic Development Authority [IEDA]. The first round of funding will assist more than 500 restaurants, bars, breweries that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, because they were among the first to close their normal operations.

According to IDPH, the locations and age ranges of the 97 individuals include:

• Allamakee County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Benton County, 1 child (0-17 years)
• Black Hawk County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 3 middle-age adults (41-60 years)
• Cedar County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Clinton County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
• Crawford County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Harrison County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Henry County, 2 adults (18-40 years)
• Johnson County, 10 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 2 older adult (61-80 years)
• Linn County, 1 child (0-17 years), 4 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 3 older adults (61-80 years), 2 elderly adults (81+)
• Louisa County, 4 adults (18-40 years), 5 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Marshall County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Muscatine County, 4 adults (18-40 years), 5 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Polk County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 4 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Pottawattamie County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Scott County, 4 adults (18-40 years), 7 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Tama County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years)
• Warren County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
• Washington County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Webster County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Woodbury County, 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years)
• Worth County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)