The Sioux City Community School District reports 13 news COVID-19 cases; 8 students and 5 staff in 9 buildings across the district. Two multi-grade classes at West Middle School moved to Emergency Response Virtual Learning. Woodbury County’s 14-day test positivity rate is almost 21%. Anything above 15% is one criteria for a school district to move to on-line learning only. District also need at least a 10% absenteeism rate. A spokesperson for the Sioux City Community School District told Siouxland Public Media this week, that level hasn’t been reached yet. The topic will likely be brought up at the next school board meeting on Monday night. The school district releases weekly updates on Friday afternoon.
Coronavirus infections continued a rapid spread across the state, pushing hospitalizations and patients in intensive care to new highs as Iowa medical centers prepared even more patients.
Iowa public health officials reported more than 3,500 new cases today and 14 deaths.
Johns Hopkins University researchers say the seven-day rolling average of the positivity rate in Iowa has risen over the past two weeks from 27% on Oct. 22 to nearly 42% on Nov. 5. That keeps Iowa’s rate second in the nation behind South Dakota. The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals reached a new high of 912.
Nebraska is seeing yet another increase in known coronavirus cases and hospitalizations as health officials urge residents to wear masks and avoid large gatherings. State officials reported 2,124 new cases statewide and 720 active hospitalizations as of Thursday evening. The numbers have been trending sharply upward over the last two weeks. Nebraska has now tested a little more than 1 million people, with 78,012 positives and 674 deaths statewide since the pandemic began, according to the state’s online tracking portal. Meanwhile, the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services announced that four more staff members have tested positive for the virus. So far, 216 department staff members have been diagnosed with the virus.
South Dakota health officials reported another 28 deaths from COVID-19 on Friday, setting a record high for single-day deaths since the pandemic began. Since the start of November, 85 people in the state have died from the virus. The state has recorded 510 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Positive cases in the state continue to climb, with 1,416 new cases reported Friday. A total of 493 people were hospitalized.
Police have identified a suspect in the weekend shooting of a man at an apartment complex in Iowa. The Sioux City Journal reports that police said Friday that they have a warrant for the arrest of 36-year-old
Roderick D. Banks of Sioux City on a charge of first-degree murder. He is wanted in Sunday’s shooting of Solomon Blackbird at Park Place Apartments near Grandview Park. Officers found Blackbird suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. The Sioux City Police Department says the shooting may have been motivated by a drug deal between the two men.
A local human services referral program is reminding renters that an eviction moratorium because of Covid-19 does not waive the obligation to pay rent or utilities.
211 is a free, comprehensive information and referral system linking Iowa and Nebraska residents to health and human service programs, community services, disaster services, and governmental programs.
If you have been impacted by COVID, a number of organizations in Siouxland have funding to help you with rent or utility payments. For more information, please visit 211 Iowa dot Org.
