The Iowa Department of Public Health, today (Saturday) reported 287 new positive coronavirus cases and 3 additional deaths in the state as of 10 a.m. Officials report there have been 37,903 positive cases, 27,800 recoveries and 785 deaths since the pandemic began.

IDPH reported a total of 403,726 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19. One of 8 Iowans have been tested for the virus, while 1 of 83 have tested positive. According to the IDPH dashboard, 3,370 Iowans were tested on Friday.

Iowa’s coronavirus hospitalizations numbers have been on the rise since the beginning of July. IDPH reported 210 patients hospitalized, unchanged from the previous day. There are 70 patients listed in intensive care, unchanged from the previous day. There are 27 patients on ventilators, down from 32 the previous day. IDPH reported 26 patients admitted in the last 24 hours, down from 27 the previous day.

There are currently coronavirus outbreaks in 16 of Iowa’s long-term care facilities. IDPH reported 409 positive cases and 90 recoveries within those facilities. There have been 418 deaths in Iowa’s care facilities.

County-by-County COVID-19 cases, and the number of person who have recovered (   ). (Changed numbers from the last report are highlighted)

• Cass: 29 (25 recovered)
• Adair: 19  (15)
• Adams: 12 [1 more than previously reported] (recovered data not available)
• Audubon: 19 (recovered data not available)
• Guthrie: 95 [1 more than Friday] (62)
• Montgomery: 18 (13)
• Pottawattamie: 897 (696)
• Shelby: 125 [1 more than yesterday] (118) [3 more recovered]
  

A semi struck a bridge on Interstate 80 this morning, in Cass County. According to dispatch reports, the accident happened at mile marker 69.30, just before 7-a.m.  The rig hit a guardrail before striking the bridge and entering the median, where it became entangled in the cable barrier. No injuries were reported. Both inside lanes of the Interstate east and westbound, are blocked.

No further details are currently available.

Adams County Sheriff’s Deputies report the arrest of 43-year-old Terry Gordon Weeks of Corning on Friday. Weeks was arrested on an Adams County Warrant for 2 counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd or Subsequent Offense (Class D Felonies, and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs (Serious Misdemeanor).

Upon further investigation a search warrant was executed at his residence and Weeks received additional charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd or Subsequent Offense (Class D Felony), and two counts of Felon in Possession of an Offensive Weapon (Class D Felonies).

Weeks was transported to the Adams County Jail and held on a combined $20,000 cash bond.

A legislative panel has approved a plan by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate to send absentee ballot request forms to all registered voters as he did before the June primary to help voters concerned about going to polls in person amid a coronavirus pandemic. In a proposed emergency election directive, Pate sought Friday to use federal funds to mail absentee ballot requests to active registered voters for the Nov. 3 election. Pate says a public health disaster persists. He says he’s consulted with all 99 county auditors and some say they cannot send absentee ballot request forms to voters.