DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa public health officials say coronavirus cases have increased by 73 to a total statewide of 497 due to surging numbers in populous counties in central and eastern Iowa. One additional death was reported, a Muscatine County resident between 41 and 60 years old. Seven people in Iowa have died. The virus is now present in 57 of Iowa’s 99 counties. Case counts have been growing fastest in Linn County in eastern Iowa, where an additional 19 cases were reported Tuesday for a total of 90. Heritage Specialty Care, a nursing home that has more than 100 residents in Cedar Rapids, confirmed Tuesday that it is the facility where the virus has infected residents and employees

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge has ordered an Iowa state home for male juvenile offenders to stop the use of a physical restraining device and to reform its use of isolation as a form of punishment. The Des Moines Register reports that the ruling Monday came in a class-action lawsuit filed against the Boys State Training School in Eldora in 2017 by two advocacy groups. At issue is the use of an immobilizing device called “the wrap” on boys at the facility — nearly five hours at a time, in some cases — and boys as young as 14 routinely forced into isolation for weeks at a time.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration has relaxed regulations on the types of alcohol that can be used for hand sanitizer during a shortage caused by high demand from the coronavirus pandemic. The move late Friday expands the potential for alcohol made by ethanol producers to be used to help fill the need of hospitals and nursing homes. With the relaxation of regulations an industry trade group says as many as 20 plants have arranged to make alcohol and more are expected to join in soon.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge has set a hearing for today (Wednesday), to consider whether to block an order by Gov. Kim Reynolds halting abortions in the state. State district court Judge Andrew Chappell signed an order Monday setting the telephone hearing to consider arguments by abortion providers and the Iowa attorney general’s office, which is representing Reynolds. Abortion providers say Reynolds violated the state constitution by including abortion in an order enacted Friday halting non-emergency medical procedures to preserve medical equipment during the coronavirus pandemic. Judges in Texas, Alabama and Texas on Monday halted similar efforts in those states.