The Iowa Department of Public Health reports two new, COVID-19 deaths over the past 24-hours (11-a.m. Thursday to 11-a.m. Friday). Governor Kim Reynolds updated the statistics during her press conference this (Friday) morning:

• 118 new COVID-19 positive cases, for a total of 1,388.
• Two new counties have their first cases of the virus: Osceola and Union. Total number of affected counties: 81.
• 862 negative test results, for a total of 14,565.
• 119 patients with the virus are hospitalized, 506 have recovered (36%), 2 new deaths are reported: an older adult and and elderly adult, both in Linn County.

According to IDPH, the locations and age ranges of the 118 (NEW) individuals with COVID-19 include:

• Allamakee County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60)
• Black Hawk County, 6 adults (18-40 years), 7 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Cedar County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Clarke County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
• Clayton County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Clinton County, 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Dubuque County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
• Fayette County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
• Harrison County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Henry County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Jasper County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Johnson County, 1 child (0-17 years), 5 adults (18-40 years), 6 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years)
• Linn County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 4 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years), 1 elderly adult (81+)
• Louisa County, 5 adults (18-40 years), 6 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 3 older adults (61-80 years)
• Marshall County, 2 adults (41-60 years)
• Muscatine County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 8 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Osceola County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
• Polk County, 6 adults (18-40 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Pottawattamie County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
• Scott County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 6 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years, 1 elderly adult (81+)
• Tama County, 4 adults (18-40 years), 3 middle-age adults (41-60 years)
• Union County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Wapello County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Warren County, 1 adult (18-40 years), 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years)
• Washington County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 2 middle-age adults (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Winnebago County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
• Woodbury County, 3 middle-age adults (41-60 years)

The Governor also touched on the fact that 354,000 Iowans are Food Insecure. Those families may now be faced with the recent loss of jobs, children out of school, and [having] trouble making ends meet. “Iowa’s six Feeding America Food Banks and their 1,200 community partners across the State, provided 38-million meals to Iowans in need last year. And while [the] COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything we’ve ever experienced, we remain committed to feeding even more Iowa families during these challenging times.”

Last month, she said, Iowa Food Pantries helped 65% more Iowans with applications for food assistance than the same time last year. “But as the number of food insecure Iowans increases, so does demand on our food banks and pantries.”  She said Lt. Governor Adam Gregg has been put in charge of a “Feeding Iowans Task Force,” established to raise awareness of hunger related issues, identifying potential gaps in the system connecting resources to ensure that Iowans have food on their tables, and making sure Iowans know where to go, to get help.”)
If you’re in immediate need of food, Reynolds says “Please go to your nearest food bank, food pantry or to cornonavirus.iowa.gov for food assistance information.” She said also, those same facilities are in need of volunteers. Go to volunteeriowa.org to find out where you can lend a hand.