There are four more deaths in the Sioux City metro area from COVID-19 complications for a total of 30 people in both Woodbury and Dakota Counties.
The Iowa Department of Public Health reports 18 more Iowans have died for a total of 336 people.
There were almost 400 new cases in Iowa and 38 cases in Woodbury County and 15 more in Dakota County for a total of more than 3,600 cases for both counties.
There are more than 14,000 confirmed cases for the whole state of Iowa. Woodbury County accounts for 15% of the cases statewide.
At a news conference this afternoon, the Deputy Director of Siouxland District was asked if felt concern over the governor opened up more business in Woodbury County, one of the more impacted spots in the county.
Tyler Brock says it was time for people to get back to normal even though we’ll likely see more cases of COVID-19 for the next few months.
“We’re going to get things opened up, get people back to normal and at the same time put some safeguards in to work very hard in helping those people who are most vulnerable.”
Brock says local long-term care facilities are working hard to reduce the rate of infections with staff and residents.
Brock says fewer people in Woodbury County are testing positive for COVID-19.
Brock says back on April 20, 50-percent of people being tested were positive. This week, the level fell off to 23%. He declined to give his opinion on when the virus might peak in our area. Siouxland District Health says one out of every 14 Woodbury County residents have been tested for the novel coronavirus.
Meanwhile, a representative from the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office provided an update on conditions at the Woodbury County Jail. He says law enforcement officers are writing more citations instead of making arrests. Plus, the jail with a capacity of 234 beds now houses 150 inmates. Some low-level offenders might serve their time after the pandemic ends.
In the days before his death, an employee of Seaboard Triumph in Sioux City told his nephew the coronavirus was spreading through his plant due to crowded spaces and a lack of personal protective equipment.
Husen Jagir died on May 1, about a week after he fell ill following a shift at the Seaboard Triumph Foods plant in Sioux City.
The plant, which is one of the nation’s largest pork processing facilities, announced this week that 59 of its workers had tested positive for COVID-19 and that it had taken several safety precautions.
The Associated Press reports Jagir's nephew says his uncle told him last month the virus was “everywhere” at the plant.