DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa has reported another 10 COVID-19-related deaths* and saw its total number of confirmed coronavirus cases rise 7.8% to more than 2,500. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported Saturday that it had been notified of an additional 181 cases since Friday. The number of COVID-19-related deaths jumped to 74, up 15.6% since Friday.

The department said the deaths included one adult from 41 to 60 years old and two adults 81 years old or older in Linn County in eastern Iowa. The county, is home to Cedar Rapids and the state’s second most-populous county and has the most confirmed coronavirus cases, with 332.

*The additional 10 deaths were reported in the following counties:

• Appanoose County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Linn County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years), 2 elderly adults (81+),
• Louisa County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
• Muscatine County, 1 elderly adult (81+)
• Polk County, 1 elderly adult (81+), 2 older adults (61-80 years)
• Tama County, 1 middle-age adult (41-60 years),

(Clarinda) — Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Health have confirmed another positive COVID-19 case in Page County. The case was a patient between 61-and 80-years of age, who contracted the virus through travel. The individual was recovering at home in isolation. The latest case of COVID-19 brings the total number in Page County, to four.

Officials in Pottawattamie County, late Friday, reported that as of Friday, April 17th, Pottawattamie County Public Health said there continues to be a total of eighteen COVID-19 cases, eleven of which have recovered, four are self-isolating at home, two are hospitalized, and there has been one death.

On Friday, April 17th, the Douglas County (Nebraska) Health Department confirmed that two employees of Tyson Foods in Council Bluffs tested positive for COVID-19 on April 14. Both of these individuals reside in Douglas County, Nebraska; therefore, the cases are not reflected in Pottawattamie County’s COVID-19 numbers. Both individuals are self-isolating at home.

Pottawattamie County Public Health is in contact with Tyson Foods and Iowa Department of Public Health. Because a large number of Tyson Foods employees live in Omaha, Pottawattamie County Public Health will continue to work closely with Douglas County and the Nebraska health systems to navigate the situation as it evolves. Pottawattamie County will provide updates as they become available.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — More than a dozen Iowa elected officials implored Tyson Fresh Meats to close their Waterloo pork processing plant, saying the coronavirus is spreading among workers and is endangering not only employees of the plant but the entire community. Mayors, county officials and state legislators signed the letter that was sent to Tyson on Thursday. The 19 officials said at a Friday news conference they had only received confirmation from the company that it had received the letter but no other action .The officials also accused Gov. Kim Reynolds of misleading Iowans on the seriousness of the outbreak and for failure to take action to close the plant.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa sheriff is urging Tyson Foods to temporarily shut down its plant in Waterloo as coronavirus cases spike in Black Hawk County. The Des Moines Register reports Sheriff Tony Thompson says he’s concerned that COVID-19 will overrun his community even more if the Tyson Foods plant doesn’t take proper precautions. He says they need to deep clean that facility and restart it on a clean slate. His comments came shortly before Gov. Kim Reynolds announced that 138 people had tested positive for the virus and one person has died with the virus in Black Hawk County.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she will not call schools back into session this year. Reynolds says the state has not reached its peak of positive coronavirus cases yet, and data doesn’t indicate it’s safe to reopen schools.. The announcement also cancels spring sports activities. State education officials say they will release information on June 1 about summer sports. Reynolds reported 191 new positive cases for a state total of 2,332 cases. Four more people died, bringing the state total to 64 deaths.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Hospital administrators have acknowledged that more than 60 employees at the University of Iowa Health Care campus in Iowa City have tested positive for COVID-19. The Gazette reports that of the 64 employees infected to date, four tested positive Thursday. UI Hospitals and Clinics CEO Suresh Gunasekeran says the outbreak is not due to a failure in the hospital’s personal protective equipment strategy. But he conceded that administrators don’t know how or where all the employees were exposed, noting that the virus has “been so prevalent in different parts of the community that we’re just unclear.”