Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds today (Tuesday), held her daily COVID-19 press conference. Over the past 24-hours, she said there were:

• 482 NEW, positive COVID-19 cases, for a total of 3,641. 33% of the positive cases are related to the surveillance testing conducted at meat processing facilities. The IDPH has not yet released the age and location of the people who most-recently tested positive for COVID-19.
• Two new counties, though (Cherokee & Humboldt), were added to the list of counties with New cases of COVID-19, for a total of 84 counties.
• 1,313 new negative cases, 23, 974 total negative cases.
• There are 214 currently hospitalized coronavirus patients. The IDHP says 1,293 patients have recovered. The recovered patients account for 35% of all positive tests thus far.
• 27,615 total people have tested (or 1 out of every 113 per capita)
• 1,293 confirmed cases of Iowans who have recovered (for a recovery rate of 35%)
• The State Hygienic Lab has 7,273 tests available.
• Four additional deaths related to Long Term Care Facilities were also reported, for a total of 83. According to IDPH the additional 4 deaths were reported in the following counties.
  • Linn County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
  • Polk County, 1 older adult (61-80 years), 2 elderly adults (81+)

Ten percent of all the positive cases in Iowa are still related to long-term care facility outbreaks. 51% of all deaths in Iowa are among residents of those facilities. These cases represent the newest diagnosed cases and not all of the cases statewide. Across the State’s six Regional Medical Coordination Centers, there are: 214 COVID-19 patients hospitalized; 23 were admitted in the last 24-hours; 89 COVID-19 patients are being treated in an ICU; 60 are on ventilators. There are 4,200 in-patient beds available, 553 ICU beds and 696 venilators available for patient care.

Reynolds also officially announced the launching of “Test Iowa,” a program she alluded to last week.

(It’s a public-private partnership that makes available 540,000 COVID tests, to increase the State’s testing capacity up to 3,000 additional tests per day, in addition to what is currently taking place. It’s also designed to help gather critical information from Iowans that will help health officials better target and fight the virus.)

Iowa is only the second State in the nation to deploy the ambitious initiative.

(It includes an online health assessment to determine if a person SHOULD be tested, and drive-thru testing locations for swabbing. The swabs are sent to a lab with the results returned within 48-to 72-hours.)

The process, Reynolds said, “Is as easy as three simple steps.”

She said the State is also working to connect individuals who test positive to health care providers through a tele-health visit. In the meantime, a hotline has been established for questions about COVID-19 in Iowa. It is available 24/7 by calling 2-1-1 or 1-800-244-7431.