IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics says it has successfully treated dozens of COVID-19 patients through a program that allows them to stay in their homes while they recover. Doctors use virtual technology to check daily on patients who have been diagnosed with the disease, freeing up the hospital for the small percentage of people who need more intensive care.

So far, 35 patients in the program have recovered while only three have needed to be admitted to the hospital. Theresa Brennan, the hospital’s chief medical officer, say Friday that another 38 are still being monitored.Brennan says she hopes other hospitals follow suit, potentially preventing them from being overwhelmed with patients.

Officials with the Pottawattamie County Department of Public Health, today (Friday), indicated there was another presumptive positive COVID-19 case in the County. The total of presumptive positives for Pottawattamie County is seven, two of which have recovered.

The latest case is a Council Bluffs man who is between the ages of 41-and 60, and who has pre-existing medical conditions. He has not recently traveled, and had no identifiable contact with an existing case. Because the case is not traceable, Public Health believes it to be the County’s second case of community spread. The individual is currently self-isolating at home.

Pottawattamie County Public Health is in communication with the Iowa Department of Public Health and is considering this case to be of no risk to the public. Public Health recommends people stay home as often as possible to avoid being exposed, and to avoid exposing others, to the virus. Avoid groups of people. Do not visit big box stores except for necessary trips.

If you must leave home, use social distancing and stay at least six feet away from others. Now is also an important time to practice excellent hygiene and disinfectant practices. Wash hands and disinfect frequently touched surfaces multiple times per day.

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Board of Medicine met in emergency session by telephone this (Friday) morning — unanimously passing a resolution asking the governor to issue a statewide shelter-in-place order. Kent Nebel is the board’s executive director.

“The concern is that individuals or people are not fully complying with the recommendations for self-isolation,” he says, “and that is increasing the risks to both health care providers who are out there providing services and to the public for spread of the virus.” Governor Reynolds has forbid gatherings of 10 or more and ordered schools and an array of businesses to close and she has repeatedly said those steps are akin to the stay-at-home orders other governors have issued.

Six doctors, a nurse and an attorney serve on the Iowa Board of Medicine. “The board is supportive and believes she’s done an excellent job of establishing appropriate safeguards,” Nebel says, “but as the spread of the virus gets worse, I think they believe that she needs to take one step further and issue a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order.” The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports a doctor from the Quad Cities who is a member of the board raised concerns about Illinois residents crossing into Iowa to get away from the restrictions there.

All members of the Board of Medicine were appointed by Reynolds or her predecessor, Governor Terry Branstad.

(By Iowa Public Radio’s Natalie Krebs; additional reporting by Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson)

Here is the video feed for Governor Reynolds daily press conference on the COVID19 pandemic. We will have audio on KJAN as well today when the conference begins about 2:30 p.m.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Friday), said 28-year old Zackery Mount-Gallett, of Carter Lake, was arrested Wednesday morning at the Pottawattamie County Jail. Mount-Gallett was taken into custody on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear. His bond was set at $5,000. And, the Union County Sheriff’s Office reports 26-year old Michael Steven Cox, of Des Moines, was arrested on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation. Cox turned himself-in to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, and was transported to Union County, where he was being held without bond until making an initial court appearance.

(12-p.m. News, 4/3)

(Radio Iowa) — Doctors from the University of Iowa Hospitals says they are ready if there is a surge of people who would need coronavirus treatment in the intensive care unit. Doctor Brooks Jackson says the postponement of elective surgeries helps in their ability to handle such patients. “The good news is, even with normal every day capacity — we still have I-C-U capacity — so we are nowhere near our regular 90-95 percent occupancy that we would normally have,” Jackson says. Jackson is the dean of the U-I’s Carver College of Medicine. He gave an update on the planning to the Board of Regents during their recent on-line meeting.

“We’ve created a surge plan that would be able to take us over normal operations. Our normal operations as you guys are aware is 90 to 95 percent occupancy of 850 beds. We have the ability — and we have developed a plan to staff an incremental 100 to 150 beds to serve Iowans in the face of a surge,” according to Jackson. Jackson says they will convert medical-surgical units into I-C-U’s and then use recovery units for other rooms. He says they have ventilators and the ability to convert anesthesia machines into ventilators. But Jackson says having the rooms and equipment isn’t the most important part of the equation — it’s having the proper staff to operate an I-C-U.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Human Rights report, due to the Covid-19 virus and the State of Iowa Public Health Disaster Emergency, the IDHR’s Division of Community Action Agencies, has extended the application period for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through May 31, 2020.

Iowa families are facing many challenges to cope with the Covid-19 virus. Some have lost jobs or had their hours of employment reduced. These circumstances could lead to difficulty in paying your utility bill. If you find yourself in that situation, there is help available through the State’s network of local community action agencies that have offices in all 99 counties. Families can apply for the Energy Assistance program at their local community action agency. This program can help pay a portion of an eligible household’s utility bill. Eligibility is based on household size and income. Anyone facing difficulty in paying their utility bill is encouraged to contact their local agency.

Community action agencies have other types of help available, such as food and clothing pantries, and other services. You can find a link to information about your local community action agency by going to the Iowa Department of Human Rights’ website at https://humanrights.iowa.gov/dcaa/where-apply.