The state of Iowa reports more than 1300 new coronavirus cases as of this morning. The state was reporting 33 COVID-19 deaths, for a total of 4,478 deaths since the pandemic came to Iowa, according to the state's coronavirus.iowa.gov website. There have been 310,596 confirmed cases of coronavirus total in Iowa. There are 450 people hospitalized related to the coronavirus. The statewide positivity rate is 10.1%.
The Iowa Department of Public Health reports two new deaths and 18 new cases of COVID-19 in Woodbury County in the last 24 hours, for a total of more than 13,000 positive cases since the beginning of the pandemic and deaths. Twenty-nine people are hospitalized related to COVID 19, and the county has a positivity rate of 10.5%. The positivity rate has been decreasing over the past few weeks. The Sioux City school district reports no new COVID-19 cases from students or staff that attended school this week.
Legislative leaders from both parties say momentum is building for changes in Iowa's bottle deposit law. House Democratic Leader Todd Prichard of Charles City said "something needs to happen" with the so-called "Bottle Bill." Pritchard says the state needs to make it work for "all players." On this week's Iowa Press program, he said there are some major health concerns. Grocers say the empties are unsanitary and shouldn't be brought into their stores.
