(Des Moines, IA) Effective April 1, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) will no longer require positive COVID-19 tests to be reported to the state Public Health Division. Since March 2020, any COVID-19 test processed in a clinical lab was required to be reported to the state Public Health Division and then to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This type of reporting no longer accurately reflects the prevalence of the virus in the state.

Since the development and widespread availability of rapid in-home tests – which are not required to be reported – the case and positive test counts in the state are no longer as meaningful as they once were. Iowa currently has no mandatory reporting order for any of the other respiratory viral illnesses such as influenza, RSV, and rhinovirus.

Beginning April 1, Iowa’s COVID-19 reporting dashboard will be replaced by the incorporation of surveillance data into the weekly respiratory virus surveillance report published by the Division of Public Health and available at https://hhs.iowa.gov/influenza/reports. The report will be published weekly, similar to existing reporting standards for other respiratory viruses. The Public Health Division will continue to review and analyze COVID-19 and other health data from several sources, including Syndromic Surveillance which the state has launched through the Health Information Exchange allowing near real time monitoring of illnesses.

“It’s important for Iowans to know that the Public Health Division will monitor the virus, just as we do for other respiratory illnesses,” said State Medical Director Dr.Robert Kruse.“The Public Health Division will continue to work collaboratively with our local health departments, healthcare partners in the state, and partners at the federal level.”

TestIowa at Home will continue to offer free COVID-19 testing for Iowans through the end of 2023.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services announced that based on current COVID-19 trends, they plan for the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19 to expire at the end of the day on May 11, 2023. More information is available at https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/02/09/fact-sheet-covid-19-public-health-emergency-transition-roadmap.html

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope released details on a myriad of accidents on Wednesday during icy road conditions.

At approximately 7:15 p.m. the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received multiple calls for a multi-vehicle accident near the Missouri River bridge on Hwy 2, east of Nebraska City.

A 1996 Chevy 1500 was westbound on Hwy 2 on the levee Bridge when it lost control on ice and struck the north concrete barrier, coming to rest facing east in the westbound right lane. The vehicle was then struck by a white 2005 Buick Park Avenue. A westbound semi driver took evasive action and attempted to avoid the initial accident, stuck the Buick, and then overturned blocking both westbound lanes of travel.

A black 2019 Dodge Journey Stopped east of the initial pickup accident to assist with traffic control and was struck by a black 2022 Chevy Malibu.

The two occupants of the Chevy 1500 were transported to the hospital with possible injuries and one occupant of the Buick Park Avenue was transported as well. No other injuries were reported.

Westbound Hwy 2 traffic was halted until approximately 1:00 a.m.

The Sidney Fire and Rescue, Percival Fire and Rescue, Hamburg Fire and Rescue, Nebraska City Fire and Rescue, Iowa State Patrol, Otoe County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, the Nebraska City Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Transportation assisted the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office with the call.

At approximately 7:57 p.m. four other traffic accidents occurred between the 8 and 10-mile marker northbound Interstate 29. One patient was transported to the hospital from a rollover accident at the 8-mile marker. A male was also transported from Sapp Brothers by rescue with a possible cardiac event, not related to the accidents.