CDC activates Emergency Operations Center for monkeypox | CNN

(CNN) The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Tuesday the activation of its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to respond to the US monkeypox outbreak.

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The activation of the EOC "allows the agency to further increase operational support for the response to meet the outbreak's evolving challenges," the agency said in a news release.

This facility is currently activated for Covid-19 and is where experts monitor information on other public health emergencies, such as hurricanes, earthquakes and oil spills.

According to CDC's webpage, the center works to outline a structure of response from the government and alongside non-government actors in emergency response.

Most recent data from the CDC show at least 244 probable or confirmed cases of monkeypox in the US.

US set to offer monkeypox vaccines in states with high case rates ...

(CNN) The Biden administration announced steps to beef up its response to monkeypox on Tuesday, detailing plans to offer more vaccines and more tests to people who are most at risk of getting it -- including men who have sex with men and their partners.

The move comes after pressure from states, who have been pushing the administration to release more doses of monkeypox vaccine from the Strategic National Stockpile managed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services. Critics have also charged that the United States is not offering enough testing to monitor the spread of the virus, which is thought to be more widespread than current case counts suggest.

The new plan tackles both. It will release more vaccines to areas with the highest case rates, and it will scale up testing, making tests available at five commercial laboratories in addition to an existing network of public health labs.

On Tuesday, HHS also activated the CDC's Emergency Operations Center to give the agency more flexibility and manpower to manage the nation's monkeypox response.

The new plan will allocate vaccine doses based on case rates in a state, focusing on men who have sex with men and their known partners, as well as anyone who thinks they might have been recently exposed to the virus as an anonymous partner.

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Whitmer activates state Emergency Operations Center to coordinate ...

LANSING – State emergency coordinators are urging Michigan residents to practice good hygiene to prevent an emerging disease from spreading.

There are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said, but she wants emergency responders, government agencies, schools, businesses and community groups to be prepared.

"The progress [of the disease] in the U.S. is still slow," she said at a Friday press conference. "That's a good thing, but based on what we’ve seen in other countries, we should expect to see more cases of coronavirus in the United States."

Whitmer activated the state Emergency Operations Center at the Michigan State Police headquarters in Dimondale on Friday to coordinate the response of state, federal and local agencies to the disease.

The coronavirus, known officially as COVID-19, was first detected in China in 2019. The outbreak is still centered there, with 78,000 of the global 81,000 cases in the country's mainland. More than 2,600 people in China have died from the disease.

The disease continues to spread around the world, with 15 cases in the United States, including one person who did not travel to an affected zone.

It's unlikely that precautions will prevent coronavirus from reaching Michigan, but Whitmer said careful hygiene practices could slow its spread.

She encouraged people to wash their hands, avoid touching their faces, avoid handshakes and cover coughs and sneezes to prevent germs from spreading. She urged people to stay home if they feel sick.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will launch a hand-washing educational campaign next week, Chief Medical Executive and Chief Deputy Director for Health Joneigh Khaldun said.

The department also is working with local health care agencies and providers to identify potential cases and prepare for a possible outbreak.

As of Thursday, MDHHS is able to conduct coronavirus tests within the state, Khaldun said.

"We no longer have to send samples to the CDC," she said. "This means we can know more quickly if the person under observation has the disease."

In Michigan, 357 people have been referred for testing or monitoring to date. Five have been tested, and all of the tests were negative for coronavirus, Khaldun said.

The COVID-19 coronavirus can cause mild to serious illness or death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath and fever.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar II declared a public health emergency in the U.S. on Jan. 31, a day after the World Health Organization ruled the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

If large numbers of people get sick, health care facilities could be overwhelmed, large numbers of people could be absent from school and work, potentially affecting services such as transportation and law enforcement, the CDC warned.

The federal government limited travel for people coming from China in early February and issued warnings for Americans traveling to cruise ships and countries with outbreaks. It is screening incoming travelers and quarantining some.

State officials will update michigan.gov/coronavirus with current information about the disease in Michigan.

Contact Carol Thompson at (517) 377-1018 or ckthompson@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @thompsoncarolk.

Obama asks for $1.8 billion in emergency Zika funding

Gregory Korte, and Liz Szabo

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — President Obama will ask Congress for $1.8 billion in emergency funding to combat the Zika virus through mosquito control programs, vaccine research, education and improving health care for low-income pregnant women, the White House said Monday.

The new request comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that its emergency operations center has been put on a “Level 1” status — its highest level of activation — because of the Zika outbreak. The CDC has only put its operations center at Level 1 three times in the past: during the Ebola outbreak in 2014; during the H1N1 pandemic in in 2009; and after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Obama's spending proposal includes $355 million in foreign aid to South America, Central America, the Caribbean, where the Zika virus is spreading most rapidly. The World Health Organization declared an international public health emergency last week, warning that the mosquito-borne virus is strongly suspected as the cause of a cluster of cases of microcephaly, a neurological disorder that afflicts the babies of pregnant women with the virus.

"And so we are going to be putting up a legislative proposal to Congress to resource both the research on vaccines and diagnostics but also helping in terms of public health systems," Obama toldCBS This Morning in an interview taped Sunday.

Even as he asked for the additional resources, Obama sought to reassure Americans about the risks. "There shouldn't be panic on this. This is not something where people are going to die from it. It is something we have to take seriously," he said.

Zika Q&A: What to know about efforts to fight the virus, conspiracy theories

"The good news is this is not like Ebola. People don't die of Zika. A lot of people get it and don't even know that they have it," Obama said. "What we now know, though, is that there appears to be some significant risk for pregnant women or women who are thinking about getting pregnant."

The additional funding is "an important step and needed measure," said Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He said the funding should also be targeted in low-income areas along the Gulf of Mexico, which tend to be hit hardest by mosquito-borne diseases, partly because residents may not be able to afford air conditioning or even window screens.

“We're also going to need to conduct environmental clean up to help wipe out mosquito breeding areas, while providing quality house screens to pregnant women who live in poverty,” Hotez said.

One area of concern: Current diagnostic tests can detect a family of viruses that includes Zika and dengue, but don't immediately identify which one. The National Institutes of Health also wants to accelerate vaccine research.

In a briefing at the White House, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci said he hopes to complete the first phase of trials by the end of the year — and have a vaccine widely available long before the usual three- to five-year time frame. "When you’re in an emergency situation, I think you can move much more quickly than that and get an accelerated approval," he said.

Obama is scheduled to submit his 2017 budget to Congress Tuesday. But if Congress approves the emergency funding request, the money would be available in this fiscal year.

The Obama administration is also briefing Senate leaders Tuesday on the Zika response at the invitation of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

"Protecting Americans, particularly children, from communicable diseases is a high priority for everyone," said McConnell Deputy Chief of Staff Don Stewart. He said Congress would consider the emergency funding proposal, but in the context of larger budget. "And given limited federal resources, we expect the administration will brief Congress on their funding priorities at the briefing."

If it's not isn't immediately approved, Fauci said he'd have to consider diverting money from other health programs. He also could not rule out an additional emergency request in the future.

Asked how the government would pay for the $1.8 billion plan, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, "Those are the kinds of things Congress will have to work out."

Coronavirus Arizona outbreak: Scottsdale declares state of emergency

Scottsdale joined other metro Phoenix cities in mid-March that declared states of emergency to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.

Scottsdale, with arguably the Valley's hottest restaurant and bar scene, stopped short of shuttering or restricting those businesses.

But the following day, Gov. Doug Ducey announced he would prohibit dining in restaurants and close bars, theaters and gyms in counties with confirmed COVID-19 cases, including Maricopa County.

Less than two weeks later, Ducey on March 30 issued a statewide stay-at-home order that will run through April.

Scottsdale has closed all buildings to the public, except the City Court and Vista del Camino Food Bank. The Granite Reef Senior Center is closed, except to distribute meals for seniors enrolled in the city’s nutrition programs.

Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane during a City Council meeting on March 17 — a day before the city declared an emergency — had said he was not looking to exacerbate the tense situation by making such a declaration.

"Some of our neighbors … are taking some extraordinary moves," Lane had said. "We’re not looking to exaggerate things any further than they are."

While a state of emergency allows mayors to ramp up responses at the local level, Lane said Scottsdale was working to "calm some of the terror."

He called the process of making decisions amid the outbreak a "balance."

"The health of our individual citizens is really also dependent upon a healthy city and a healthy community," he said. "We're responsible as a city to minimize harm to our citizens both physically and economically. Right now that's what our focus is."

The emergency declaration now in place authorizes City Manager Jim Thompson to take "any lawful actions necessary to mitigate the effects and spread of the virus."

What's the point without closures?

Lane said that he declared a state of emergency so the city could more easily access supplies and materials and to request financial assistance from federal, state and county authorities.

Scottsdale’s incident management team and emergency operations center were activated nearly four weeks ago at the earliest indication that COVID-19 was spreading to the community, he said.

The city has been working with federal, state and county public health departments since then.

"This declaration is the next step: it expands the city’s authority to take additional measures we may need as part of our ongoing response,” the mayor said.

But Lane said that he was wary of making decisions driven by fear.

If Scottsdale officials immediately resorted to closing down bars and restaurants, it could jeopardize critical infrastructure in the city, as well as the city's food supply chain, he said.

"We want to maintain a community that survives," he said. "Does that mean people need to make money and have jobs? Yes."

Despite the hesitancy from City Hall to order closure of businesses, numerous city programs and events have ground to a halt in the last week, including spring training, Scottsdale Fashion Week and Arizona Bike Week.

Scottsdale closures

The city closed all buildings to the public on March 24.

All baseball and softball fields, as well as the Skate Park at McDowell Mountain Ranch Aquatic Center, will be closed through April 30. All reservations at the fields have been canceled.

Scottsdale aquatic and fitness centers, including Club SAR, are closed. Senior Center Fitness centers are closed.

Outdoor parks and hiking and biking trails remain open, although residents should observe social distancing guidelines.

Park playgrounds are not closed and city staff are cleaning these areas daily.

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park is open to the public, although the train, carousel, model railroad building and Hartley’s General Store are closed.

"While families are welcome to picnic or play in the park, we strongly recommend that is done taking into the considerations of the CDC and Arizona Department of Health Services relative to Covid-19 virus," the park said in a statement on Facebook.

The Granite Reef Senior Center is closed, except to distribute meals for seniors enrolled in the city’s nutrition programs.

Residents may call 480-312-2323 to schedule food box distribution and emergency assistance at the Vista del Camino Food Bank.

All Scottsdale trolley services were suspended beginning Wednesday, March 25.

Scottsdale has canceled all special events being held by the city or at a city facility for the next eight weeks, including Good Guys car show and other events at WestWorld.

All Scottsdale library buildings are closed to the public. Residents can still access drive-thru and pick-up service for holds and continued online digital services, such as Ask-a-Librarian support.

The library call center is available 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday at 480-312-7327.

Most city events and programs have been canceled until further notice, including recreation programs and classes. Pro-rated refunds for unfinished classes will be given.

The city is allowing people to register for upcoming recreation spring programs taking place after April 6. Refunds will be given if the programs are canceled.

City services such as trash pickup, water and public safety continue, although residents can complete much of their city business, including development services, online at scottsdaleaz.gov.

Scottsdale’s planning department remains open but implemented changes to minimize contact.

The city said its incident management team is meeting regularly to discuss ways to protect residents and ensure minimal disruptions to city services.

The city's call center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week at 480-312-3111.

City Council meetings, court appearances continue

The Scottsdale City Council held its March 17 meeting as scheduled, as well as a remote special meeting on March 24. The city has asked that residents view the meeting remotely on TV at Cox cable Channel 11 or online at ScottsdaleAZ.gov.

Board and commission meetings through March were canceled unless necessary to meet statutory obligations or specific business, according to a city statement. The city encourages remote participation for those meetings if necessary.

Scottsdale City Court has suspended all jury trials and continued many cases.

The court is offering online services for individuals to address their cases, including filing motions online at www.Scottsdaleaz.gov/court.

Individuals with questions about their court appearance can contact the court at 480-312-2442 or email them at Court@ScottsdaleAZ.gov.

Have a tip out of Scottsdale? Reach the reporter Lorraine Longhi at llonghi@gannett.com or 480-243-4086. Follow her on Twitter @lolonghi.

Support local journalism.Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

Coronavirus in Iowa: A look back, March 3-15: Urbandale school ...

Register staff

State and federal officials say there are simple, everyday steps you can take to avoid catching or spreading respiratory diseases, including COVID-19: Cover your coughs and sneezes, thoroughly wash or sanitize your hands and stay home if you are sick. Get more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at CDC.gov/coronavirus, or call 211, the Iowa Department of Public Heath's hotline, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Officials in Iowa are dealing with the effects of the novel coronavirus spreading around the world, the United States and in Iowa.

Personnel at health care facilities, schools, the state government and businesses in Iowa are taking a series of measures in response to the virus, which causes a disease known as COVID-19.

► Looking for the latest? Here's what we know, March 16-22.

Here's the latest on what Iowans need to know:

Urbandale Community School District employee tests positive for COVID-19

March 16: An employee of the Karen Acres Elementary School in Urbandale has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently in quarantine.

The employee, who is not being identified by the school district out of concerns for confidentiality, has sought medical attention, according to a notification from the Urbandale Community School District. The notice did not specify the person’s condition.

The district also announced that all of its schools would be closed beginning March 16 for four weeks, adhering to the recommendation from Gov. Kim Reynolds. The closure includes cancellation of all school-related programming, activities, athletics, Adventuretime and community education classes. Under current plans, students would return to school on Monday, April 13.

There have been 23 known cases of coronavirus in Iowa. Some of the cases involve people who do not know how they contracted the virus, and some of those infected have had to be hospitalized. COVID-19 is the respiratory illness caused by the virus. It is unclear if this employee is part of that 23 or if the person is an additional case.

Des Moines-area YMCAs completely shut down for 15 days

The six membership branches and the Y-Camp serving the greater Des Moines area will shut down for 15 days, officials announced Monday night.

No coronavirus cases have been linked to a YMCA facility, but its leadership is following federal, state and local health officials' guidance to try to slow its spread, Ruth Comer, the YMCA's vice president for marketing and communications wrote in an email.

It had previously canceled all group fitness classes, personal training sessions, youth programming and facility rentals and suspended Learn and Play centers and guest passes.

Full-time staff will remain employed during the closure. President and CEO of YMCA of Greater Des Moines Leisha Barcus asked members to pay dues and register for future programs as they're able to help it operate once the crisis passes.

Des Moines Water Works suspends water shutoffs

March 16: Des Moines Water Works, which provides drinking water to most of the Des Moines metro area, announced Monday that it would stop shutting off the water service of delinquent ratepayers.

Water needs to be available to help residents sanitize, which will hopefully slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus, the utility said in a news release. The suspension is temporary.

Des Moines Water Works’ water remains safe to drink, the release said. COVID-19 hasn’t been detected in drinking water, and water works’ treatment practices kill viruses. There’s also no need to boil tap water.

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency said, “Americans can continue to use and drink water from their tap as usual.”

Starting Tuesday, water works will also prohibit walk-in customers at its general office building on George Flagg Parkway. In-home visits, except for emergencies, will also be suspended.

Water customers can pay online at dmww.com, by phone at (515) 283-8700, at the office’s dropbox, by mail or at pay stations at local Hy-Vee or Wal-Mart stores.

The utility has also started “stockpiling” chemicals, repair parts and other equipment to ensure the production and distribution of safe drinking water, the news release said.

Iowa DOT may make customers wait in cars, encourages appointments

March 16: The Iowa Department of Transportation is encouraging people to postpone in-person services and, if unavoidable, for customers to make an appointment before visiting.

Many services, including renewals, address changes and certified copies of driving records, are likely available online. To view those services, or make an appointment, visit https://mymvd.iowadot.gov/. Customers can also call 515-244-8725.

Officials hope appointments will reduce the number of people waiting at the service centers. Staff will watch the size of groups in the waiting areas and may ask people to come back another time or wait in their vehicles if the room becomes crowded, according to a news release.

Staff will also ask customers questions designed to evaluate their risk of exposure to the coronavirus and risk of exposure to other customers. If someone is determined to be a “heightened risk,” they will be asked to delay their visit. The news release did not specify what criteria will be used to make that judgment.

DOT staff are also instructed to increase how often they clean and disinfect the facilities.

Gov. Reynolds holds news conference

One more case in Iowa, total now 23

Legislature agrees to waive the requirement to reschedule school days

March 16: Iowa House and Senate leaders announced Monday that they would pass legislation to waive the requirement for Iowa schools to reschedule school days canceled as a result of COVID-19. Gov. Kim Reynolds has recommended schools close for four weeks as a result of the outbreak.

Classes previously scheduled from March 16 to April 12 will not be rescheduled. Republican lawmakers said the Legislature would advance legislation on Monday to implement the arrangement.

"This decision will provide Iowa school districts with the certainty that they need to make decisions locally and move ahead this school year," said House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford.

ACT cancels April national test date

March 16: ACT rescheduled its April 4 national test date to June 13 across the U.S. due to concerns over spreading COVID-19. It announced Monday that all students registered for the date will receive an email in the next few days informing them about the postponement and instructions for free rescheduling to the June 13 or a later date.

After April, there are only two more chances to take the test in order to meet 2020 admission deadlines. The June 13 test date's registration deadline is May 8. The July 18 test date's registration deadline is June 19.

Sen. Chuck Grassley: 'I’d rather overreact than underreact'

March 16: U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is urging Iowans to take seriously the threat of the coronavirus.

“Maybe” the response to the outbreak has been an overreaction, he told reporters on a press call Monday afternoon. “But I’d rather overreact than underreact and have more people die, for sure.”

Grassley said that anybody shrugging off the situation “should take it more seriously.”

“You’ve got to wash your hands. You’ve got to use disinfectant. You shouldn’t shake hands. Don’t touch your face. All of those things,” he said. “Everybody ought be trying to do it because we don’t know where you’re going to get (the virus).”

Grassley said he expects the Senate to take up and pass the coronavirus aid package this week. He said the conversation immediately will turn to the next phase of the government response: economic stimulus.

Foundation starts disaster fund

March 16: The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines announced Monday that it would be activating its disaster recovery fund to help people affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

“The disaster recovery fund provides an opportunity for the public to give with the reassurance their donations will be used to quickly move resources where they’re most needed and to adapt to evolving needs,” said Kristi Knous, president of the foundation.

Groups have pledged more than $200,000 so far, and the money will go toward filling needs not being covered by governments or nonprofits.

Click here to donate.

Polk County Health Department news conference

March 16: The Polk County Health Department and community partners held a COVID-19 joint news conference at 2 p.m. at the Polk County Emergency Operations Center.

The news conference discussed strategies to help mitigate the virus, including having those with mild symptoms call 211 instead of going to the doctor.

More:Des Moines hospital official warns: 'We do not have enough of supplies' to combat coronavirus

Kemin Industries mandates employees who can work from home must do so

March 16: Kemin Industries said Monday that employees who can effectively work from home must do so. The Des Moines company, which manufactures nutritional ingredients, said it is “actively working with all of our employees, whether based in Des Moines, the U.S. or abroad to make sure we’re protecting the health and safety of those in our facilities.”

Kemin, which employs about 600 people in Des Moines, said it was still assessing how many employees would work from home and continue in offices or manufacturing facilities.

Kemin said it's continuing to monitor the rapidly developing situation in the U.S. and around the world. "Our teams in China, Singapore and Italy have been navigating this global challenge very well, and we are following many of their best practices here in the U.S. as this unprecedented situation evolves," the company said.

A subscription makes work like this possible. Sign up at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal.

Nationwide expands call for employees to work at home

March 16: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. now says it’s asking all of its 3,300 employees in Des Moines to work from home starting next Monday amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus.

Last week, the Columbus, Ohio-based insurance and financial services company said it wanted to have at least half of its employees working at home at any given time. Nationwide said the percentage could ramp up, depending on the spread of the coronavirus, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19.

The company said Monday its goal is to “flatten the curve” of coronavirus cases in its communities “by each of us staying home when we are ill, practicing social distancing, avoiding crowds, washing our hands, and cleaning and disinfecting workspaces daily.”

Nationwide said it’s confident it can make the move without impacting its business or service to customers. “As in every case, there are positions that are mission critical for which work-from-home does not apply. Associates are being advised to consult with their leaders on how this change will impact them,” the company said.

Iowa streamlines coronavirus-related unemployment claims

March 16: Iowa workers who lose their jobs because of coronavirus, and the businesses that let them go, will have fewer bureaucratic hurdles to cross for filing unemployment insurance claims, Iowa Workforce Development has announced.

The agency in a statement said that during the current crisis, it will waive the requirement for fact-finding interviews for unemployment claims resulting directly or indirectly from COVID-19, the illness caused by coronavirus. Workers who qualify will begin receiving payments in seven to 10 days, the agency said.

It also clarified that workers will be eligible for unemployment insurance if they are "laid off due to COVID-19 or have to stay home to self-isolate, care for family members or due to illness related to COVID-19," provided they meet all other eligibility requirements. Those requirements include working for wages from an employer who can claim them as an employee in six of the last 18 months and having earned at least $2,500 in the same time period.

For more details, workers and employers may go to the Iowa Workforce Development website.

Health Department screening Capitol visitors

March 16: The Iowa Department of Health set up screening tents for those entering the state Capitol on Monday.

Workers wore gowns and asked visitors if they had traveled outside of the country in the past two weeks, and if they had a runny nose or cough. If visitors answered no to those questions, there were are sent to a second screening person who took their temperature.

People are being turned away for answering yes, or having a temperature that is too high or too low.

On Sunday, Gov. Kim Reynolds recommended closing all Iowa public schools, and the Legislature announced it would suspend the session

Athene reopens building after coronavirus exposure concern

March 16: West Des Moines insurance company Athene announced Monday that it had reopened its office after sending employees home Friday because of concern that one of them may have been exposed to a person with coronavirus.

In a statement, the company said the building had undergone a thorough cleaning process that included a disinfectant fog and running the hearing, ventilation and air conditioning systems to circulate fresh air.

It also said that based on the advice of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, local governments and public health officials, it will adjust work schedules for all of its locations "and will reduce building occupancy to support the CDC’s recommendation for social distancing, while continuing to operate and respond to the needs of our customers."

Waukee closes library, public works building, cancels parks and rec events

March 16: Waukee closed its public works building and the Waukee Public Library on Monday morning because of concerns about the COVID-19 outbreak.

In a news release, the city encouraged residents to pay utility bills online or by mail. The Waukee Parks & Recreation Department is also located in the public works building and canceled several programs because of the outbreak:

The WASP senior luncheon on March 26 was canceled.

All Waukee Parks & Recreation facility rentals are canceled through April 12 and all public ball fields are closed.

All recreational programming is canceled or postponed through April 12.

Sugar Creek Municipal Golf Course will remain open. Trailside Dog Park will remain open at this time, but staff will be increasing the frequency of sanitizing gates and keypads.

Reynolds announces four new cases of coronavirus in Iowa, recommends schools close for four weeks

March 15: Polk County has its first case of coronavirus, one of two in Iowa that public health officials attribute to “community spread,” without the patients having been exposed to the illness as a result of travel outside the state, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced late Sunday.

The other community-spread case was in Johnson County, and also was its first. The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics said in a new release that the patient was being cared for there in isolation.

Two other new cases, in Allamakee County, were related to international travel, Reynolds said. The cases announced Sunday brought the total in Iowa to 22.

In a statement, Reynolds called the new community-spread cases, on top of one announced Saturday in Dallas County, "substantial," and recommended measures to contain the outbreak that included closing all Iowa schools for four weeks.

“Based on new information today from the Iowa Department of Public Health, now is the time to move to the next level of response,” Reynolds said in the statement. The statement said she will hold a press conference on Monday.

► MORE:Iowa confirms 4 more cases of COVID-19; governor recommends all schools close for 4 weeks

New Johnson County case being treated at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics

March 15: A Johnson County resident who acquired the novel coronavirus through community spread is being treated at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, the hospital announced Sunday.

The patient is currently in isolation there after arriving with symptoms associated with COVID-19. They are the second patient treated at the hospital with COVID-19.

Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the case earlier Sunday night when she said that the state's total number of coronavirus cases has increased to 22.

Iowa Legislature to suspend session for 30 days over coronavirus concerns

March 15: The Iowa Legislature is suspending its session for 30 days because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The announcement came Sunday evening in a news release.

Sunday's announcement is a change from Thursday, when top Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate said they expected to continue with the legislative session as normal.

The news comes after Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Saturday night that the state had seen its first case of "community spread" of the virus. Reynolds met Sunday with Republican and Democratic leaders from the House and Senate "to discuss next steps for the legislative session."

► MORE:Iowa Legislature to suspend session for 30 days over coronavirus concerns

Des Moines mayor declares state of emergency over coronavirus concerns

March 15: Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie has declared a state of emergency, prohibiting gatherings of more than 250 people on public property.

Cownie signed the proclamation Sunday, less than a day after Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the state's first case of "community spread" of the novel coronavirus. The designation means COVID-19 has spread from an unknown source and isn't linked to travel.

The proclamation forces the cancellation of the 2020 St. Patrick's Day Parade, which was scheduled to close several streets downtown Tuesday during working hours.

► MORE:Des Moines mayor declares state of emergency over Iowa's coronavirus 'community spread'

Merle Hay AT&T temporarily closes, deep cleans after employee exposed to coronavirus

March 15: The AT&T on Merle Hay Road temporarily closed Sunday and has been deep cleaned after an employee had contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, or coronavirus.

“A retail store employee in Des Moines reported feeling ill and having contact with someone diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19). We have not been notified of a positive test result. Out of an abundance of caution, we closed and deep cleaned the store. The store will reopen tomorrow as staffing allows," said AT&T spokesman Mark Giga.

Nola Aigner Davis, public information officer for the Polk County Health Department also claimed there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the AT&T on Merle Hay.

State Auditor Rob Sand mandates employees work from home, suspends travel

March 15: In order to take precaution, State Auditor Rob Sand is suspending travel and has directed his employees to work from home.

"These measures to enact social distancing in and from the auditor's office are intended to help flatten the curve of infections," Sand wrote in a news release published on Twitter.

CDC: Avoid gatherings of 50 or more

March 15: Warning that mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of the coronavirus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday said it is recommending cancellation or postponement for the next eight weeks of any event that would be attended by 50 or more people.

"Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing," the CDC said in a statement. "When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual."

The statement said the recommendation does not apply "to the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses," and "is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials." Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie, in declaring a state of emergency for the city on Sunday, prohibited gatherings of more than 250 people on public property.

DHS announces measures to ensure day care availability

March 15: The Iowa Department of Human Service announced Sunday that it is taking several measures to help ensure child care continues to be available during the coronavirus crisis.

Among the actions DHS announced in a news release:

Paying child care providers based on enrollment, not on attendance, to ensure providers have a stable source of income.

Using Child Care Development Funds for Quality to assist providers in meeting standards for health and safety, including additional cleaning.

Focusing the agency’s child care regulation and inspections on providing technical assistance in hygiene and sanitation.

Prioritizing child care providers to receive additional sanitizer produced by the state Department of Corrections.

In addition, DHS said it is exploring ways to expand child care capacity, including expedited licensing, alternative site locations and “funding flexibilities.”

All Iowa Auto Show cancels final day on Sunday

March 15: The All Iowa Auto Show canceled its final day Sunday morning after the Iowa Department of Public Health recommended that Iowans not hold nor attend large gatherings of more than 250 people. The recommendation that came from IDPH on Saturday is an effort aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus.

"In the spirit of IDPH’s new guidance, we will be closing the show on its final day as we regularly exceeded that minimum attendance requirement hourly to comply," according to James Maurer, LOCALiQ Automotive in a news release. He also thanked those who attended Thursday through Saturday and said organizers look forward to bringing the car show back in 2021.

More:What's been closed, canceled or postponed around Iowa as a result of the spreading coronavirus

Positive cases in Iowa rise to 18

March 14: Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Sunday night that a new coronavirus case was linked to "community spread", a sign that the virus is spreading in the state without connection to travel to an infected area.

The number of people in Iowa who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus has slowly risen since last Sunday, when the state reported its first three cases. Reynolds’ announcement brings the total number of cases in the state to 18. The previous 17 cases were all tied to travel.

The new case is a person who lives in Dallas County, according to public health officials, who is between 61 and 80 years old.

Reynolds made the announcement about the new transmission method from a state emergency operations center just north of Des Moines. She recommended Iowans should not attend or hold gatherings of more than 250 people, but she still does not recommend school closures.

Reynolds said state public health officials have been preparing for this scenario.

State prisons end all visiting

March 14: Iowa Department of Corrections announced late Saturday night that it was suspending all visits to prisons to "prevent and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 in the state prisons."

The agency's release said:

"Effective immediately, visiting has been cancelled at all state prisons until further notice. This is being done out of an abundance of caution for the department's vulnerable population. While most other correctional departments across the country have also suspended visiting, this decision is rarely easy. The DOC realizes the impact this can have on institution morale over time, and also knows the value of keeping inmates connected with their families. To help address this concern, the department has been exploring reduced cost or free phone calls, reduced cost O-mails, and is working to establish the capability for video visitations. "

All volunteer activities in the prisons had also been suspended, according to the agency's website.

Iowa Supreme Court issued order postponing all criminal and civil jury trials

March 14: The Iowa Supreme Court issued an order postponing all criminal and civil jury trials.

Criminal jury trials will be postponed until April 20 and civil jury trials until May 4 — unless the jury has already been sworn in — due to the spread of COVID-19, according to a news release from the Iowa Judicial Branch.

“We are very concerned about balancing the need to keep our courthouses open with the safety of our jurors and everyone who uses Iowa courthouses,” Chief Justice Susan Christensen said in the news release. “We have heard concerns from judges, attorneys, and jurors about court procedures that require large groups of people to gather in the courthouse or a courtroom so we completed a comprehensive review of what other states have done in response to coronavirus/COVID-19. The procedures in this order keep Iowa courts open to the fullest possible extent while protecting the public and our employees by giving judges the tools and flexibility that they need.”

In addition, the news release states that the order sets priorities for rescheduling criminal jury trials, allows district courts to accept written guilty pleas in felony cases, suspends all grand jury proceedings, and allows defendants to waive initial appearances via a written waiver.

There are also procedures detailed in the order to mitigating the impact of coronavirus/COVID-19 in small claim cases, juvenile cases, appellate cases and problem solving courts, the news release states.

Meredith recommends Des Moines employees work from home

March 14: Meredith Corp. said Saturday it recommends — but isn't requiring — employees in Des Moines and elsewhere in the nation work from home, if it's not essential to be in the office, beginning Monday.

The Des Moines-based media company that publishes People, Better Homes and Gardens and other magazines, already recommended that employees in its New York, Seattle, Chicago and Los Angeles offices work from home to reduce coronavirus' spread. Meredith employs about 900 workers in Des Moines and 5,500 nationwide.

The company joins Nationwide in recommending its employees work from home.

Iowa Board of Regents direct universities to recall students, faculty, staff who are out of the country

March 14: The Iowa Board of Regents directed Regent Universities to bring home all students, faculty, and staff who are out of the country.

Universities impacted are the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, Iowa School for the Deaf, and Iowa Braille and Sight Saving school.

Initially, the recall included only countries the CDC designated as a Level 3 travel health notice.

"This now applies to all countries. Each university president has the flexibility to make exceptions on a case-by-case basis. The Board’s rolling 30-day university-sponsored international travel ban remains in effect, and we continue to recommend avoiding travel to any area with high numbers of infection," the Board wrote in a tweet Saturday.

"We recognize this decision may cause frustration and hardship, but the COVID-19 pandemic continues to expand worldwide. The Board is taking this action in the interest of the health and safety of everyone," Board of Regents President Mike Richards said in a statement. "As the COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly evolving situation, the Board will continue to evaluate this on a daily basis and provide additional guidance if needed."

Behind the scenes of the first days of Iowa's outbreak

March 14: At first, the impact of the novel coronavirus to Iowa was minor. Then three people tested positive for the illness, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced on March 8. That number increased to eight cases by Monday and 13 by Tuesday. By Friday night, 17 Iowans had tested positive for the disease.

The virus has continued to spread across the country and around the world, hitting the famous and the unknown. Globally, it's infected more than 140,000 and caused more than 5,000 deaths.

Polk County supervisors prepare for pandemic

March 14: Several modifications have been made from Polk County in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To protect its employees, Polk County supervisors announced cleaning practice have increased in all offices and plans are set for employees to work remotely if necessary, according to a Polk County news release.

"To protect your personal health and the health of our employees, before visiting a Polk County building please call ahead to see if you can conduct your business electronically or over the phone," wrote Jon Cahill, communications specialist for the board of supervisors.

Polk County supervisors also lay out modifications to numerous services:

Community, Family & Youth Services (March 16-27):

Polk County community and congregate meal sites are closed starting March 16. Instead, meals will be provided to participants from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. via a "drive-through" system in the parking lots of community and senior centers: Norwoodville, South, East, North, Northwest, West, Central, Ankeny and Grimes. "Meals can be reserved for future days by calling the selected site or at the time of picking up a meal," Cahill wrote. For more information, call 515-286-3679 or click here.

Polk County community evening meals at the Norwoodville, Central, West and South Community Centers will continue to be served at regularly scheduled times, but will be delivered outside starting March 26.

Polk County General Assistance will be processing applications by phone or e-mail effective March 18. In-person processing is by appointment only. To apply for General Assistance, call 515-286-2088 or e-mail GA.Intake@polkcountyiowa.gov.

The Polk County Food Pantries will be distributing food from the parking lots of the River Place Pantry and North Side Community Center Pantry starting March 18. Admission to the stores will be restricted but staff will take orders, prepare the food packages and bring them outside for customers. “Free Wall” products will be prepackaged and delivered outside instead of self-selection. Hours of operation may vary. Customers may also call ahead at 286-2220 (North) or 286-3695 (River Place). If not yet registered for the food pantry, please call ahead. There are no income requirements for access to the pantry.

Polk County Commodity Supplemental Foods, providing food packages for income-restricted seniors age 60 and over, will close the store to walk-in shopping effective March 18. All food packages will be delivered directly to registered customers. Staff will be calling registered residents to review, but for questions, or to apply, call 286-3655 or 1-877- 288-3655.

Persons seeking crime victim or sexual assault advocacy are encouraged to call Polk County Crisis and Advocacy at 515-286-3600. Advocates remain ready and available to provide support and assistance. For the near future assistance will be through individual advocacy; group activities will resume at a later date.

Business conducted at other services, such as Polk County Assessor, Polk County Treasurer, and Polk County Recorder should also be done electronically or over the phone. For more information, the following numbers have been provided:

Polk County Assessor: 515-286-3014

Polk County Recorder: 515-286-3160

Polk County Treasurer: 515-286-3030 for vehicle transactions and 515-286-3060 for property tax transactions

Polk County Veteran Affairs: 515-286-3670

Utilities moratorium extended

Low-income Iowa residents struggling to pay their electric bills now have until May 1 before gas and electric utilities may cut off services.

The Iowa Utilities Board issued an emergency order directing all electric and natural gas utilities to stop disconnecting residential service because low-income customers are behind in paying their bills.

The order, issued in light of the coronavirus spread in Iowa, extends the state’s moratorium on disconnecting low-income families from gas and electric service from Nov. 1 to April 1.

Low-income Iowans have until April 30 each year to apply for limited financial heating assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The application was not extended with Friday’s emergency order.

The energy assistance program is designed to help low-income families meet the partial cost of home heating through a one-time payment made directly to the utility or heating fuel vendor.

Lutheran Church of Hope suspends all public services for the first time in history

March 13: Lutheran Church of Hope senior pastor Mike Housholder took to Facebook Friday night letting the metro Des Moines community know public services have been postponed at all Hope locations for the first time in the Church’s history.

Worship services will be broadcasted online.

“The good news is we will still worship this weekend. Hope has a long history of broadcasting our weekly services online. Instead of showing up in person, please join us LIVE at www.HopeOnline.tv on Saturday at 5 p.m., Sunday at 8 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 11 a.m. or 5 p.m. The traditional 8:30 a.m. service will also be recorded and posted by 7 p.m. Sunday evening,” Housholder said. “Our sermon theme this weekend is ‘How to Pray,’ and given the current level of angst in our world, I can’t imagine a more appropriate subject to preach on.”

“Ultimately, we could not get past the very real and sobering possibility that by holding public services at Hope this weekend, our life-giving church could be a setting for the spread of the life-taking coronavirus for the people we serve and love,” he continued.

Human services suspend visits to facilities

March 13: Iowa’s human services department is suspending in-person visits at its six state-run facilities to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

Kelly Garcia, director of the Iowa Department of Human Services, announced the news Friday in an email to the guardians of patients at state resource centers in Glenwood and Woodward; the State Training School at Eldora; and two mental health institutes in Cherokee and Independence. Staff will also call guardians.

The facilities treat some of the state's most vulnerable residents.

DHS will accommodate guardians with video chat options like Skype and FaceTime.

The department is also suspending "all non-essential outings and outside employment opportunities" until further notice.

The decision to suspend visitors came one day after the department announced limitations to in-person visitations, including a requirement that visitors undergo a health screening.

"Today, after further discussion with our other state agency partners, we are taking additional precautionary measures to help protect the individuals we serve and our direct care staff by suspending in-person visitation at our facilities," Garcia said in her email.

The department said it will consider exceptions to this policy in limited circumstances. Garcia will make the final determination "based on the resident’s need to experience face-to-face interaction with their loved ones and the risk to that resident and need and the risk to our broader campus."

The facilities in Glenwood and Woodard treat Iowans with severe mental disabilities. The state training school treats youth who have been found guilty by a judge of committing a delinquent act. The Cherokee and Independence facilities treat people with short-term psychiatric needs and severe symptoms of mental illness.

WDM insurance company Athene takes precautions after employee may have been exposed to coronavirus

March 13: The West Des Moines insurance company Athene announced Friday an employee may have been exposed to an individual with confirmed COVID-19, or coronavirus, this week, according to a statement provided by the company.

Athene responded by asking employees who work in the WDM office to work from home on Friday.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we asked employees who work in the same facility to work from home on Friday, March 13 so we can further limit exposure and disinfect the building per CDC guidelines on top of our enhanced cleaning protocol. We are taking appropriate precautions to protect all our stakeholders, including our employees, to ensure we are able to maintain the high level of service our customers deserve," said Karen Lynn, head of corporate communications.

Gov. Kim Reynolds announces additional case of coronavirus

March 13: Gov. Kim Reynolds announced another case of COVID-19 in Iowa bringing the total to 17. A resident from Harrison County tested positive.

Reynolds said that the state is not now recommending that schools shut down at a news conference late afternoon Friday at the State Emergency Operations Center in Johnston.

The governor addressed the media shortly after President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency Friday, calling for a "responsible, measured" approach to addressing the novel coronavirus in Iowa.

The governor and other state officials said that all of the Iowa cases were related to travel but they anticipated the novel coronavirus could soon spread.

"And now is the time to prepare," Reynolds said.

More:State response to coronavirus reports dangerously deficient, these Iowans contend

More:Gov. Kim Reynolds says there are now 17 cases of the coronavirus in Iowa, all travel-related

Polk County Jail cancels all programs, classes inside facility

March 13: Polk County Sheriff's Office responded to the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday, announcing all classes and programs at the Polk County Jail are cancelled.

"The cleaning and sanitation procedures of the facility has aggressively increased. In addition, all persons that are being presented to the Polk County Jail for booking are being screened with the guidance of the Polk County Health Department," Lt. Heath Osberg wrote in a PCSO news release.

Further, the PCSO is encouraging visitors to utilize their "I-Web" visit service at offsite locations.

Suburban schools plan to resume classes as normal after spring break

March 13: Nearly two dozen central Iowa school districts plan to resume classes after spring break.

In a joint news release Friday afternoon, school officials said:

"At this time, we believe it is in the best interest of our families and staff to resume school as planned after spring break. Student and staff safety remains our top priority. We all look to the Iowa Department of Public Health for their expertise and direction. IDPH currently believes the risk to our student and staff population is low. We also acknowledge many of our families rely on district-provided childcare and nutritional resources."

The schools included on the release are Adel, Ames, Ankeny, Ballard, Bondurant-Farrar, Carlisle, Dallas Center-Grimes, Indianola, Interstate 35, Johnston, North Polk, Norwalk, Pleasantville, Prairie City-Monroe, Saydel, Southeast Polk, Urbandale, Van Meter, Waukee, West Des Moines, Winterset and Woodward-Granger.

High School Boys Basketball plays in mostly empty arena

March 13: The Iowa High School Athletic Association only permitted family and "essential personnel" to the boys' high school state basketball finals.

Des Moines Book Festival is canceled

March 13: The DSM Book Festival slated for Saturday, March 28, has been canceled, according to a member of the board.

"The Des Moines Public Library has made the decision to postpone and cancel large gatherings based on the news surrounding the COVID-19 - to limit the potential spread and exposure," a statement to the Register read. "As a public institution, they have determined it is their civic responsibility to begin canceling large events taking place in March and April."

The first four AVID authors: Tayari Jones, Hanif Abdurraqib, David Baldacci, and Kate Quinn, will be canceled with possible rescheduled dates later in the year.

More:What's been closed, canceled or postponed around Iowa as a result of the spreading coronavirus

Bishop excuses Johnson County Catholics from Mass

March 13: All Catholics in Johnson County, site of Iowa's largest coronavirus outbreak, are excused from the obligation of attending Mass, the bishop of the Diocese of Davenport announced Friday.

Bishop Thomas Zinkula, in a statement, also excused from Mass anyone in the diocese who is ill, caring for someone who is sick or who is especially susceptible to contracting COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Zinkula also said those who do attend Mass or other church gatherings in Johnson County should sit at least six feet apart, and that it may be necessary to limit attendance.

Des Moines Mayor urges people to consider canceling, skipping large events

March 13: Des Moines’ mayor is urging the city’s businesses, churches and event planners to consider canceling gatherings to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Frank Cownie, in his fifth term as mayor, encouraged city residents to be smart when leaving their homes and think about whether they should at all.

The city has already postponed several public meetings in hopes to prevent the virus from spreading. As of late Thursday, daily city operations, including police and fire services, were continuing as normal.

More: Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie urges people consider canceling, skipping large events

Sen. Chuck Grassley calls for mitigation of spread in federal prisons

March 13: U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley asked the Justice Department and Bureau of Prisons to provide public guidance on efforts to slow or stop the spread of the novel coronavirus in those facilities.

The longtime Republican senator lamented that no COVID-19 information is posted on the BOP website for inmate visitors.

“At this critical junction, it is essential that BOP, the Justice Department, and other branches of the Department of Corrections band together to highlight their procedures if there is an outbreak, and what steps are actively being taken to mitigate this,” Grassley wrote.

He asked DOJ and BOP to:

Make available online for the public the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, and in which BOP or Department of Corrections facilities these cases have been found;

Publicly post the proactive measures that BOP is considering or currently doing to prevent the spread of COVID-19; and

Provide clear information for all visitors to BOP facilities on measures to be taken to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The outbreak:

Prevention:

Impact:

Iowa Judicial Branch orders safety precautions

March 13: Those who visit Iowa's 100 courthouses are asked to take special care to minimize the threat of COVID-19:

Attorneys, or any party due in court, are ordered to let opposing counsel and the clerk of court know if any participants in a hearing, conference, trial or other settings may have an elevated risk of transmitting the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19.

Counsel must "affirmatively" ask witnesses and clients if they have an elevated risk of transmitting the virus. No one with an elevated risk can attend any hearing, conference, trial or other proceedings without prior authorization from the courts.

Jurors with elevated risks are ordered to tell their jury manager, who must reschedule that person to a new term of service.

Remote proceedings are permitted if practical and efficient. Any requests for a remote hearing must be promptly considered by the court.

Juvenile Court Services

Many of the parameters apply to JCS, which falls under the judicial branch. Other orders include:

Court staff must affirmatively inquire about juveniles' or their family members' risk level.

JCS may conduct remote hearings and intakes if deemed practical.

President Trump addresses the nation around 2 p.m.

March 13: President Donald Trump declared a national emergency Friday to free up billions of dollars to combat the coronavirus as he sought to persuade anxious Americans and battered financial markets that he was responding forcefully to the crisis.

Trump said there is no deal yet on an emergency package to respond to the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic and accused Democrats of reneging on negotiations.

More:Trump declares national emergency over coronavirus, allowing officials to direct billions in aid to those fighting virus

'Worse than Black Friday': shoppers descend on stores

March 13: Sam's Club in Des Moines limited shoppers to two items per day on toilet paper, paper towels, bottled water and cough drops.

"It's been a zoo all week," assistant manager Xyander Zuhlke said as he unwrapped a palette of Puffs facial tissues. He said an entire truckload of paper products had been delivered to the store that morning, but by noon, the toilet paper supply was dwindling.

An hour later, it was gone.

More:'Worse than Black Friday': Des Moines shoppers descend on retail warehouse amid coronavirus concerns

World Food Prize youth institute delayed, future events going online

March 13: The World Food Prize Foundation is delaying its next youth institute amid concerns over the spread of the coronavirus.

The Des Moines nonprofit was scheduled to host its next youth institute with the University of Nebraska on Monday. But Foundation spokeswoman Nicole Barreca told the Des Moines Register on Friday afternoon that the event is postponed.

"We are working with our partners on campus at the University to devise the best date that will work for all participants in the near future," she said in an email.

When the youth institute in Nebraska does occur, Barreca added, it won't take place in person. Professors, students and high school teachers will convene through an online platform.

The Foundation hosts 27 youth institutes in the United States, Honduras and the Netherlands. High school students apply to attend by writing essays about food scarcity.

Selected students then travel to universities, where they usually meet with the professors for a couple days to learn about how to tackle the problems of food scarcity on the local, national and international levels.

In addition to Nebraska's event, youth institutes in Mississippi and New York are scheduled for this month. There are another 10 scheduled for next month, including a youth institute at Iowa State University on April 27. (Students can still apply for that program through April 6.)

Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen announced Wednesday that the campus is shutting down in-person classes through at least April 3. In a statement Friday, World Food Prize Foundation President Barbara Stinson said her staff is working with university representatives to figure out what to do about the youth institutes.

Most, she said, will be postponed or placed online.

"At this time, some partners are maintaining the scheduled date and time for their virtual WFPF Youth Institute, while others are rescheduling to a new date," she said. "Some of our partners, as of now, are still on track to host their WFPF Youth Institute in-person, as originally planned.”

Democrats postpone county conventions

March 13: The Iowa Democratic Party announced Friday it will postpone its county conventions, which had been scheduled for March 21, to a later undetermined date.

“This is not an easy decision, but we believe it is the right decision,” party chairman Mark Smith said in a statement. “By their design, caucuses are gatherings built around a sense of community, and throughout every step, we have worked to ensure the process is safe and accessible for every Iowan. However, Iowa Democrats should not have to choose between democratic participation and remaining in good health, and concerns for the wellbeing of our delegates, thousands of volunteers, workers at convention venues, and the public come first.”

The county conventions are used to elect delegates and alternates who are then sent on to the district and state conventions. Those delegates then elect Iowa’s national convention delegates. According to the news release, planning for the district and state conventions is proceeding as scheduled.

The Republican Party of Iowa is moving ahead with its county conventions March 14.

South Calhoun County school building may have been exposed to coronavirus

March 13: Classes at South Central Calhoun schools were canceled Friday after officials were told someone potentially infected with coronavirus visited one of its school buildings, according to the Carroll Times Herald.

"Someone who was in a SCC building has met the criteria for COVID-19 testing," Superintendent Jeff Kruse told the newspaper. "Risk is low, but the district is taking precautions pending the results of the test."

Full story from the Carroll Times Herald

A statement on the school's website stated:

"Although there are no confirmed cases in our district, SCC wants to take extreme precautions in this current health environment in our country to protect our students, staff, and community."

All school activities have also been canceled for March 13-15.

The district's high school is located in Lake City while the middle school and elementary buildings are in Rockwell City.

The state announced a presumptive positive coronavirus test for someone in Carroll County, the county's first, on Thursday night.

RAGBRAI extends sign-up, refund deadline

March 12: To accommodate concerns over Iowa's coronavirus outbreak, organizers of the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa say they are extending the deadline to register for the ride and receive refunds.

The new date will be June 1, a two-month extension from the original date, April 1.

In a post on RAGBRAI's Facebook account, staff said it had spoken with the Iowa Department of Public Health and intends to go forward with the ride, scheduled for July 19-25.

"We will continue to work closely with the IDPH and community officials to ensure we are taking the proper precautions and making decisions that are in the best interest of our riders, communities and business partners," staff wrote in the post.

Organizers pledged to "communicate with all impacted parties should any of our policies or timeline change."

Iowa has 2 more coronavirus cases, public health officials say

March 12: There are now 16 cases of the coronavirus in Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Thursday.

Reynolds' office said in a news release Thursday that two additional people have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. One is from Johnson County and one is from Carroll County. Both are recovering at home in isolation. This brings the state’s total to 16.

Both cases involve people who were on a cruise to Egypt. Most cases in the state are linked to this trip.

State response to coronavirus reports dangerously deficient, Iowans contend

March 12: Two Iowans contend that health officials failed to take action when they reported incidents of direct contact with people who tested positive for coronavirus.

In one case, an Ames woman says her call to the Iowa Department of Public Health was referred to the wrong place. And, in another, an Iowa City-area man contends that health officials have not responded to his neighbor's report, made days ago, that he and others were exposed to a man who has since been hospitalized with COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

“I feel like I’m going to watch everyone I love die and all I can do is scream from inside my house,” said the Ames resident, Sara Willette, who has an immunodeficiency disorder and this week voluntarily isolated herself and her family to avoid infection.

► More:State response to coronavirus reports dangerously deficient, Iowans contend

Des Moines Public Schools closed until March 30

March 12: Des Moines Public Schools will be closed for at least 16 days, starting at 6 p.m. Friday, in the hopes of stemming the spread of the novel coronavirus, district officials announced Thursday afternoon.

District officials are not aware of any staff who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, Superintendent Thomas Ahart said. The closure is a precaution but will include a "deep clean" of the schools.

The closure includes all planned activities and programs. The district hopes to resume school on Monday, March 30.

► MORE:

Des Moines Public Library staying open, canceling programs, removing toys and games

The Des Moines Public Library said in an email that it will remain open and keep regular hours as long as it is safe to do so.

However, they are canceling several programs that use shared materials and increasing the level and frequency of cleaning.

All toys, LEGO blocks, board games, plush animals and other materials are being removed.

The library does lean out digital materials, which can be accessed online.

Story County residents encouraged to conduct business by mail

March 12: Those who have to pay Story County property taxes or want to submit other official paperwork have been asked to do so electronically or by mail.

Property taxes that are due March 31 can be paid online or by mail to the Story County Treasurer, PO Box 498, Nevada, Iowa, 50201. Payments can also be dropped at the County Administration Building, 900 6th St. in Nevada.

More from a county news release:

For information, visit the county's website.

Private labs are now testing for the coronavirus in Iowa

March 12: Three private laboratories have stepped in to conduct testing for the coronavirus in Iowa, state public health officials confirmed Thursday, as the state lab that has been the primary location for testing says it has dwindling supplies.

The Iowa Department of Public Health confirmed to the Des Moines Register that New Jersey-based Quest Diagnostics, North Carolina-based LabCorp and Utah-based ARUP Laboratories have begun receiving specimens from Iowa health care providers for coronavirus testing.

Ken Sharp, director of the state department's division on acute disease prevention and emergency response, said Iowa state officials are not tracking how many Iowa health care providers have sent specimens to the private labs for testing.

Nationwide is keeping employees at home

March 12: Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. says many of its 3,300 employees in Des Moines will begin working from home beginning March 16 given concerns about the U.S. spread of the coronavirus.

The Columbus, Ohio-based company said Thursday its goal is to have half of its employees working at home at any given time.

Nationwide, an insurance and financial services company, said its "work at home policy" will stay in place through April 3.

Republican Iowa Senate leader: No cancellation, expecting 'a normal session'

March 12: Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver said there are no plans currently for the Iowa Legislature to restrict its activities or restrict access to the public next week in light of the coronavirus.

“We’re working with Department of Public health to provide any guidance going forward,” he told reporters Thursday afternoon. “There’s a lot of things we’re watching right now but at this time we plan to have subcommittees on Monday and have committees on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.”

Whitver, an Ankeny Republican, said lawmakers are in close communication with Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Public Health about best practices. As of Thursday afternoon, the department had not recommended the Legislature make any changes in how it conducts its activities, Whitver said.

On Wednesday, Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, called on the Legislature to temporarily suspend meeting until at least March 23 as a precaution against spreading the coronavirus.

Whitver said he doesn’t expect the legislative session to wrap up early. Lawmakers will receive per diem expenses through April 21.

“I expect it to be a normal session. As normal as it can be. And whenever we get done we’ll get done, whether that’s earlier or later, just like always,” he said.

Whitver said the Legislature is in a position to act if it needs to make any changes to Iowa law to respond to the coronavirus, such as additional funding or providing guidance to schools if any were to close.

“I think we’re monitoring all of that and we’re obviously very nimble down here if we need to make those decisions at some point,” he said. “To this point, no school has closed so it’s not something we need to decide right now. But there are certainly talks going on about any changes we need to make with our laws.”

Sports leagues announce suspensions and cancellations of events

March 12: Multiple sports leagues with Iowa connections have made announcements that they have suspended or canceled their 2019-20 seasons.

The Big 12 Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments in Kansas City, Missouri, have been canceled. The Iowa State men had been eliminated and the Cyclones women had yet to play.

The Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament in Indianapolis has also been canceled. Iowa was scheduled to play its first game Thursday afternoon.

The Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball tournament in Moline, Illinois, has been canceled. The Drake and Northern Iowa women's teams were scheduled to participate.

As such, the NCAA also canceled the remainder of its winter and spring seasons and championships, including the upcoming wrestling and men's and women's basketball tournaments.

The NBA G League, of which the Iowa Wolves are a member, suspended its season indefinitely after the conclusion of Wednesday night's games.

The Des Moines Buccaneers are part of the United States Hockey League, which announced Thursday afternoon that it has suspended its season indefinitely. All hockey activities, which included practices, workouts and meetings, were also suspended.

The National Hockey League has "paused" its season, and the American Hockey League has suspended all activities until further notice. The Iowa Wild are a member of the AHL.

The American Rivers Conference and the Midwest Conference, home to several Division III schools in Iowa, have canceled the remainder of its spring seasons and championships.

The NAIA has canceled all of its winter championships, which included its Division II women's basketball tournament in Sioux City.

Minor League Baseball announced it will be delaying the start of the 2020 season to an unspecified date. The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor-league team in the Pacific Coast League.

On a local level, the Iowa state boys' basketball tournament, scheduled to run through Friday evening, is still a go as of early Thursday afternoon.

Democrats monitoring whether to postpone county conventions, Republicans going ahead

March 12: The Iowa Democratic Party said in a memo published to its website Thursday that party leaders are monitoring public health developments and are considering alternative options for their county conventions, including postponing them until a later date. Party leaders are scheduled to discuss the issue with the state central committee and county chairs Thursday evening.

The county conventions, which are scheduled for March 21, are used to elect delegates and alternates who are then sent on to the district and state conventions. Those delegates then elect Iowa’s national convention delegates.

According to the memo, the IDP is working with the Democratic National Committee and legal experts to ensure that any postponement or alternate meeting wouldn’t run afoul of party rules and jeopardize its ability to send a delegation to the national convention later this summer.

The Republican Party of Iowa will hold its county conventions March 14 as planned, according to news a release.

“After consulting with the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Governor’s office, we have decided to move forward and hold our county conventions this Saturday,” party spokesman Aaron Britt said in a statement. “Of course, the health and safety of Iowans is of the utmost importance. We strongly advise any Iowan who isn’t feeling well to stay home, and we will be in contact with county chairs to provide guidance for their events.”

Iowa board: Coronavirus shouldn’t shutter government transparency

March 12: Iowa governments must maintain the public’s access to meetings by its decision-makers even while trying to protect against coronavirus, a state board that enforces the state’s records and meetings laws said in a release Thursday.

However, that access may be conducted electronically if there are valid concerns that an in-person meeting is impossible or impractical, the Iowa Public Information Board said in a news release Thursday.

Iowa law requires the public to be allowed access when the majority of a governmental body meets for deliberation or action.

Governments must still abide by its meeting notice and minute keeping requirements when conducting electronic meetings, the board said.

1 more Iowan tests positive for the virus

March 11: Just one additional Iowan tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday, public health officials announced Wednesday evening, increasing the state's tally to 14 cases statewide.

The Iowan lives in Johnson County and, along with 12 others there, contracted the virus while traveling on a cruise to Egypt that ended earlier this month.

The cases previously identified as presumptive positive are now considered positive, according to a Wednesday news release sent from the Iowa Department of Public Health. The first five cases in Iowa were confirmed by CDC, and so any further cases are also considered positive, according to CDC policy.

► More Wednesday:University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics admits first coronavirus patient, who is in 'critical condition'

Iowa state senator calls for a pause in the legislative session

March 11: State Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, said he'd like the Iowa Legislature to pass a resolution pushing back its deadlines and pause meeting until at least March 23 as public health officials monitor the spread of the coronavirus.

Legislative leaders said there are no current plans to halt the legislative session.

"I can’t think of a single bigger incubator for a viral disease to spread statewide than the Iowa State Capitol," Hogg said. "Every day, we have hundreds or thousands of people in the Capitol from all over Iowa when we’re in session — and then everybody goes back home. And so if we were to have a coronavirus case at the state Capitol, that would spread all across Iowa."

More:Iowa state senator calls for pausing legislative session as a precaution against spreading coronavirus

University of Iowa, Iowa State, University of Northern Iowa and Drake cancel in-person classes

March 11: All four colleges informed students that in-person classes are canceled and will be held online because of COVID-19.

In-person classes are canceled will be held online from March 23 until at least April 3 when they will reevaluate. Spring break for the schools begins Friday.

The Drake Relays, which attract tens of thousands of fans and alumni, are still planned for April, according to the University.

More:Iowa State University, University of Iowa, Drake tell students they're moving classes online

University of Iowa administrators are holding a news conference Wednesday at 2 p.m. to address the school's response to COVID-19, including "virtual instruction," according to a news release.

Iowa State has around 33,000 students, the University of Iowa has around 35,000, University of Northern Iowa has about 11,000 and Drake has about 5,000.

Iowa State professor:What college faculty ponder as classes go online

Chuck Grassley tells Iowans to ignore politicians on coronavirus

March 11: U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley encouraged Iowans on Wednesday to “forget about listening to political leaders” when it comes to the coronavirus.

“There's some conflicting information coming out, so I'd encourage folks to forget about listening to political leaders on the subject,” Grassley told reporters in his opening statement Wednesday morning, referring to coronavirus. “Listen to our public health experts and our professional leaders, both at the state and federal government.”

He said he wasn’t alluding to any specific misinformation, but merely that “political leaders aren’t experts on health care issues.”

More:Grassley: 'Forget about listening to political leaders' on coronavirus

Basu:Don't take president's word on the coronavirus. Heed medical experts, take precautions.

What does 'presumptive positive' mean?

March 11: Presumptive positive — A presumptive positive test is for the time between an initial positive test for the virus by a public health lab but before the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed the results. A presumptive positive result from a CDC test is treated as if the patient is positive for the virus, according to the CDC.

Read up on other terms you may be seeing in news about the coronavirus

No toliet paper at Walmart in Windsor Heights

March 11: Former Register reporter William Petroski posted a photo of empty shelves at the Walmart in Windsor Heights, saying "every single roll of gone, and they are being sold quickly when shelves are restocked."

Earlier in the week, a Register staffer snapped a photo of a sign at a drug store in Clive that listed products that were out of stock, including varieties of hand sanitizers, wipes and face masks.

UnityPoint, MercyOne and Broadlawns implement new visitor restrictions

March 11: New temporary visitor restrictions are in place at all three Des Moines Hospitals.

UnityPoint Health Des Moines, MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center and Broadlawns Medical Center said in a joint news release that effective immediately only primary caregivers including parents and stepparents, spouses or significant others and "other defined caregivers" will be allowed to see patients.

Primary caregivers must be:

People 16 years of age and older.

People free from illness such as fever, sore throat, cough or diarrhea.

Caregivers also must:

Remain in patient rooms "as appropriate."

Limit movement in the facilities and avoid common areas.

Siblings will not be allowed unless they are over the age of 16 and defined as the primary caregiver.

All visitors must wash their hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer upon entering patients' rooms, according to the release.

"We understand these visitor restrictions may be difficult for you," the hospitals said in a joint statement. "While we are committed to providing a family-centered care environment, right now restricting visitors is in the best interest of our patients and staff."

Iowa's Gary Barta: Hawkeye staff monitoring coronavirus news, but not changing tournament travel

March 10: Iowa is concluding one of its most successful winter sports seasons ever against the backdrop of the spreading coronavirus scare.

But Hawkeye teams that are scheduled to compete in NCAA tournaments in men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling are still proceeding as if those events will take place, athletic director Gary Barta said Tuesday.

“You’re just preparing for any possibility, but not panicking,” Barta said. “We’re going to do what’s safe and best.”

“It's business as usual as far as I'm concerned,” Iowa men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery said of his team’s preparations to compete in the Big Ten Conference Tournament starting Thursday.

Barta said the athletic department is following the same protocols that the university has in place, and will continue to do so. So far, that has meant a ban on international travel only. A few Hawkeye coaches had to scrap overseas recruiting trips. The women’s golf team had to back out of a tournament in Mexico, replacing it with one in Las Vegas.

► Map:Coronavirus in Iowa: How many cases have been confirmed in Iowa and where are they located?

5 more Iowans test positive for virus

March 10: Public health officials say there are five new presumptive cases of the coronavirus in Iowa, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 13.

The Iowans live in Johnson County, were on the same Egyptian cruise as seven other presumptive positive cases, are in self-isolation and are recovering at home, according to a news release sent Tuesday evening from the Iowa Department of Public Health. The cases are presumptive until confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The federal agency has a backlog of tests as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Polly Carver-Kimm, spokeswoman for the Iowa public health department.

Gov. Kim Reynolds warned at a news conference earlier in the day that she expected the number of cases in the state to increase.

“The reality is COVID-19 is now here, and we can expect the number of tests and the number of positive cases will continue to increase in the days to come,” she said from the state Capitol. “While this news is concerning, it’s not cause for alarm. I want to assure Iowans that we are prepared, and we are taking additional steps to ensure access to resources to effectively manage the situation.”

Iowa public universities told to prep for online instruction 'as quickly as possible'

March 10: The state's three public universities are being asked to move online in response to the coronavirus.

The Board of Regents —which oversees the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa State University in Ames and the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls — announced Tuesday that it wants the schools "to move as quickly as possible toward the ability to deliver instruction virtually."

The regents have not announced a set deadline for institutions to move to online instruction but have urged administrators to provide more information about their own timelines no later than Thursday morning.

West Des Moines schools asking parents to notify them if spring break travel involves high-risk areas

March 10: West Des Moines Community Schools is asking that families who are traveling to high-risk areas for COVID-19 for spring break to notify the student’s school “to make arrangements for reentry to school.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention identifies the five countries that are high risk for spreading coronavirus as China, Iran, Italy, Japan and South Korea.

Spring break is scheduled from March 13 to 22.

► Map:How many cases have been confirmed in Iowa and where are they located?

Woman who tested presumptive positive in Pottawattamie County worked at Panera Bread

March 10: A woman between the ages of 41 and 60 who tested presumptive positive for the coronavirus was an employee at a Council Bluffs Panera Bread.

Matt Wyant, the Pottwattamie County planning director, said the restaurant closed over the weekend and on Monday to disinfect the space twice. The restaurant reopened on Tuesday.

Wyant said the county is advising people not to panic if they visited the Panera Bread within the last week. He said public health officials have determined there is no risk to the general public.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, the woman had recently traveled to California and had come into contact with someone with the virus while there.

Grinnell College sending its students home

March 10: In an effort to prevent or delay transmission of the novel coronavirus, Grinnell College students will be required to leave campus by March 23, according to a letter President Raynard S. Kington sent to campus Tuesday afternoon.

Classes will meet through Friday, the last day of class before the school’s spring break. After March 30, the college will shift to online classes for the remainder of the semester, including for students who secure an exception to stay on campus.

The college wants its students to go home for spring break and stay there.

► More:To stave off coronavirus' spread, Grinnell College cancels in-person classes for rest of year, instructs students to leave campus

► More:Coronavirus: Iowa's public universities told to prep for online instruction 'as quickly as possible'

Big 12's Bob Bowlsby: We're full speed ahead right now, but circumstances are constantly evolving around coronavirus

March 10: This week’s Big 12 Conference basketball tournament, right now anyway, is expected to happen as planned, commissioner Bob Bowlsby told the Des Moines Register on Tuesday.

“We’re full speed ahead right now, but the circumstances are constantly evolving,” Bowlsby said around noon Tuesday. “I expect to be playing basketball (Wednesday) night and through the week.”

Bowlsby spoke shortly after the Ivy League canceled its conference tournament in the wake of the worldwide coronavirus outbreak. Other events throughout the world have either been canceled or are being played in empty arenas.

The Big 12 tournament starts Wednesday at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. The women’s tournament, at Kansas City’s Memorial Auditorium, starts Thursday. Iowa State’s men play at 6 p.m., Wednesday. Bill Fennelly’s women’s team opens on Friday.

► More:Myth or fact: We dispel the rumors surrounding the coronavirus

Attorney General warns the public to watch out for scams and price gouging

March 10: Attorney General Tom Miller warned that Iowans should watch out for price gouging and other scams related to the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

“Price gouging is substantially raising prices for needed goods or services,” Miller said Tuesday in a news release. “This is illegal and is something our office will pursue.”

The Attorney General advises Iowans to watch out for products that claim scientific benefits, phishing scams, charities or organizations that claim to be raising funds for a group, and investment fraud.

Any concerns or complaints should be directed to IowaAttorneyGeneral.gov, or by calling 888-777-4590 or emailing consumer@ag.iowa.gov.

► Don't fall for coronavirus scams:What you need to know to avoid fraud

Gov. Reynolds held her weekly news conference, focuses on COVID-19

March 10: At least three dozen Iowans who traveled recently on cruise ships linked to the coronavirus are being quarantined or will be quarantined as they return home, state officials announced Tuesday.

Twenty-one Iowans traveled on a cruise to Egypt that ended earlier this month. Seven of those individuals represent eight of the presumptive coronavirus cases now reported in Iowa.

Reynolds said the other 14 Iowans from the Egyptian cruise are at home under quarantine. Ten have been tested for the coronavirus and their results are pending.

Reynolds said these Iowans “had limited interaction in their communities” prior to being quarantined.

Another 22 Iowans were on the separate Grand Princess cruise ship along the California coast that is linked to cases of the virus — 18 of them will be returning to Iowa soon through a chartered flight coordinated by the federal government.

They will be screened before they return to Iowa, and they will be quarantined, officials said. Reynolds said none have shown symptoms of the virus.

► More:Gov. Kim Reynolds holds weekly news conference, addressed coronavirus cases

Iowa Department of Corrections restricts volunteer access

March 9: The Iowa Department of Corrections is asking that all prison volunteers stay home until DOC officials tell them otherwise. They’re also advising staff who don’t feel well to stay home and contact their doctor immediately.

Inmates arriving from the jails are screened; if they display any symptoms, they will be isolated for observation, DOC spokesman Cord Overton said.

Visitors must now fill out a health questionnaire before they can see an inmate, and DOC staff are allowed to cut visits short if they have any concerns about the visitor’s health.

If the outbreak in Iowa escalates, DOC officials said they may temporarily halt all visitor access to their prison facilities.

"If or when a case is confirmed at an institution, quarantine protocols would be initiated immediately, and those infected would begin treatment for illness, similar to flu outbreak protocols," Overton said.

Overton said the departments' medical staff is working to stock up on medical supplies such as masks, face shields and gowns.

8 presumptive positives in Iowa, governor issues disaster proclamation

March 9: On Monday, public health officials said there were five new presumptive cases of the coronavirus in Iowa, bringing the total number of cases in the state to eight.

Gov. Kim Reynolds also signed a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency, activating the disaster response and recovery aspects of the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s Iowa Emergency Response Plan, her office said.

"The proclamation authorizes state agencies to utilize resources including personnel, equipment and facilities to perform activities necessary to prevent, contain and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 virus," according to a news release from the governor's office.

New coronavirus case in Pottawattamie County, local officials said

March 9: There is one new presumptive case of the coronavirus in Pottawattamie County in western Iowa, according to a public health official.

Matt Wyant, Pottawattamie County's director of planning and development, told the Des Moines Register on Monday that a person has tested presumptively positive for the coronavirus. The person is in self-isolation at home, Wyant said.

The case must also be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health officials will hold a news conference at 5 p.m. to share more information, according to Wyant, who said he has alerted state public health officials to the case.

A spokeswoman for the Iowa Department of Public Health did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

The announcement comes one day after Gov. Kim Reynolds announced three presumptive cases of the coronavirus, which causes a respiratory disease currently spreading around the world and the United States.

Iowa Poll shows Iowans washing hands more frequently, considering other changes as coronavirus spreads

March 9: In results released Monday of a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll, conducted March 2-5, a majority of Iowans said they are washing their hands more frequently in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Sixty-one percent of respondents said they are washing their hands more often, and another 10% said they were seriously considering it. A quarter of Iowans said they have not considered more frequent handwashing.

Health experts say washing hands with soap and water is the easiest way to help prevent the spread of the virus.

Women are more likely to say they have increased their handwashing: 68% of women said they are already washing their hands more often, compared to 53% of men. One in three men said they are not considering doing this, compared to just 18% of women.

Around one in five Iowans said they were avoiding crowds or shaking hands with others.

Eight percent said they had changed travel plans because of the virus and another 10% had considered changing travel plans.

Three people test presumptively positive for COVID-19

March 8: Reynolds' announcement Sunday night that three people in Iowa tested presumptively positive for the novel coronavirus marked the first time the virus has been detected in the state.

The three people, who live in Johnson County, tested positive after returning March 3 from a cruise that traveled through Egypt, officials told reporters at an evening news conference.

More:Coronavirus is here in Iowa. What does that mean for you?

Reynolds said Sunday that Iowans did not need to take additional or special precautions other than routine advice like washing their hands with soap and water, covering their coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick.

"While this news is concerning, it's not cause for alarm," Reynolds said from the Capitol. "The most important thing that we can do right now is to remain calm, understand the situation and stay informed in the days and weeks ahead."

Reynolds also ordered the State Emergency Operations Center in Johnston to full activation, after announcing Saturday that she had partially activated it. The move is aimed at better coordination between state agencies to respond to the virus.

More:3 test presumptively positive for novel coronavirus in Iowa, Gov. Reynolds announces

American Cruise Lines, with stops in Iowa, starts new cleaning techniques

March 9: The U.S. State Department said Sunday that U.S. citizens should not travel by cruise ship, especially travelers with underlying health conditions, given the increased risk of infection of COVID-19 and because of strict screening measures that have denied port entry into several countries.

While there's little danger of the latter, American Cruise Lines, which operates Upper Mississippi River cruises with stops in Dubuque, Davenport and Burlington, has implemented prevention measures, including pre-screening and "more rigorous shipboard sanitation techniques," according to a statement from the company.

The new measures are based on guidelines from the Cruise Lines International Association.

"American will continue to update procedures and take all appropriate steps to ensure the safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit," the company’s statement says.

For cruises departing between March 9 and June 30, American Cruise Lines will allow guests to cancel up to 24 hours prior to departure. Guests will get a voucher to be used within a year.

"American operates small 100-200 passenger ships completely within the United States, cruising only between domestic ports," the company’s statement says.

The first cruise scheduled to stop in Iowa starts July 31, according to its website.

Grassley exploring coronavirus-related tax relief

March 9: U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, plans to look into possible financial relief for industry and the economy related to the impact of coronavirus. Grassley is the chair of the Senate Finance Committee.

"While we continue to assess the economic impacts, Chairman Grassley is exploring the possibility of targeted tax relief measures that could provide a timely and effective response to the coronavirus. Several options within the committee’s jurisdiction are being considered as we learn more about the effects on specific industries and the overall economy," said a statement from Grassley spokesman Michael Zona.

The virus' spread has already rattled financial markets.

Des Moines preparing for worker absences

March 9: Des Moines officials have begun preparing for the arrival new coronavirus.

In a Monday morning workshop, City Manager Scott Sanders told the Des Moines City Council the city’s department heads have been working on continuity plans for essential city operations in case large numbers of staff are kept from work because of the illness.

“It is an exercise in, how would you operate with fewer and fewer staff?” he said.

If enough people are catch the virus -- or are stuck at home caring for a family member — Des Moines residents could see city service levels affected, Sanders added.

City officials are also working on ways staff members can work remotely. They’ve also posted hand-washing and COVID-19 symptom guides in City Hall bathrooms.

Testing continues for others

March 8: The State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa, the sole laboratory in the state testing for the coronavirus, said it has materials to test about 500 people.

As of Sunday, the lab had tested just 37. Three have tested positive, 26 have tested negative and there are now 8 pending tests.

People in Iowa cannot request to be tested for the coronavirus at this point, according to Polly Carver-Kimm, a spokeswoman at the Iowa Department of Public Health. Instead, health care providers, following guidelines around a person's symptoms, must contact the department.

The Iowa Department of Public Health told reporters it is covering testing for coronavirus, but other expenses related to seeking medical care remains up to individuals.

Public health officials in Iowa have said for weeks that the risk of contracting the virus in the state is low, in part because many of the early reported cases were linked to international travel in areas with large outbreaks.

But some of the cases now reported around the U.S. do not have clear connections to that kind of travel, a potential sign that infection could spread through a community.

The state is also monitoring 15 people who have either traveled to China or Iran in the past 14 days or have had contact with a confirmed case of the virus. The monitoring process includes those individuals checking in periodically with officials. The state had completed the monitoring of 40 people.

The public health department has also asked Iowans returning home from certain areas overseas to "self-isolate" to stop potential spread of the virus. The request is for travelers coming back from Italy, Japan and South Korea.

► National coronavirus updates: The latest on deaths, cases and preparation across the U.S.

No travel restrictions or testing at Des Moines' airport

March 8: Des Moines International Airport had previously announced it was not imposing travel restrictions or requiring testing of arriving passengers for the coronavirus. It planned no immediate changes after Reynolds announced presumptive cases of COVID-19 in Iowa, airport spokeswoman Kayla Kovarna said Sunday night.

The outbreak:

Prevention:

Wells Fargo announces donations to aid coronavirus response

March 8: The Wells Fargo Foundation announced Sunday it will give up to $6.25 million to support domestic and global response to the coronavirus outbreak and to aid public health relief efforts.

In a news release, the San Francisco-based company, which is among Des Moines' largest employers, said its giving will include $1 million for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s emergency relief fund and $250,000 to the International Medical Corps. The company said it will also donate up to $5 million to aid local-level efforts. It did not specify the localities.

“We recognize and appreciate the role of front-line health care providers as they apply their expertise on this fast-moving issue and care for the well-being of our communities,” Bill Daley, Wells Fargo vice chairman of public affairs at Wells Fargo and chairman of the board of the Wells Fargo Foundation, said in a statement. “We also continue to monitor this situation closely for our employees, customers and the communities we serve and are prepared to adapt as needed.”

Two hospitals begin limiting patient visits

March 6: Two hospitals in Cedar Rapids are limiting their patient visits.

Mercy Medical Center and UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's Hospital announced in a news release Friday that staff is limiting patient visitations to minimize their potential exposure to "seasonal influenza and other respiratory viruses."

The hospitals note in their news release that there are no cases of the novel coronavirus in Iowa.

Visitors at both hospitals will be limited to two adults per patient room at any time unless there is a special circumstance, according to a news release. There are different visiting rules for the maternity and pediatrics floors, as well as the neonatal intensive care unit.

Iowa company plans to deliver 1 million test kits

March 6: An Iowa company is at the center of the federal government's effort to increase the availability of testing for the novel coronavirus, which Vice President Mike Pence acknowledged Thursday is in short supply.

Based in Coralville, Integrated DNA Technologies manufactures and distributes a wide variety of testing kits and related products worldwide. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told reporters Thursday that the company expects to ship 1 million testing kits to U.S. laboratories by week's end. That amounts to the capacity to test roughly 400,000 people, given that it takes multiple test samples to confirm a result.

On Friday, company officials said they had delivered materials that enabled testing of over 700,000 individuals for the coronavirus. A company spokeswoman said the biotech firm is ready to send additional materials for more testing.

The U.S. has trailed other countries in rolling out tests because of problems with its test kits, and because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initially limited the number of eligible people.

U.S. senators who were briefed on the plan said it could take days or weeks before thousands of medical personnel are trained to use the tests.

Iowa has increased its capacity to test for the coronavirus

March 6: The State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa has upped its capacity to test for the coronavirus in recent days.

Anne Bassett, a spokeswoman for the Coralville-based facility, said that as of Friday, the lab has materials to test about 500 people for the virus. That is an increase from about 250 people.

Michael Pentella, director of the State Hygienic Laboratory, told reporters at a news conference last week that he's not concerned about the state's capacity to test people.

"I think we have the resources that we need," Pentella said.

The lab is able to confirm the negative results of the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must confirm potential positive results.

Iowa's public universities cancel travel plans

March 5: Iowa's three public universities have limited their travel over the next month.

The Iowa Board of Regents, which oversees the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa, announced Thursday that it has canceled all university-sponsored international travel for all faculty, staff and students for 30 days, effective immediately. That includes spring break travel.

Officials are recalling faculty, staff and students already abroad who are in areas with large outbreaks as determined by the CDC. As of Thursday, those countries are China, Iran, South Korea and Italy.

The University of Northern Iowa announced Friday that it is canceling all summer study abroad courses in light of the virus' spread, impacting more than 250 students with trips planned to countries including Egypt, Italy and the United Kingdom, according to a news release.

Iowa's congressional delegation approves money to combat coronavirus

March 6: All of Iowa's congressional delegation approved federal money last week to help combat coronavirus.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday in support of an $8.3 billion package. The U.S. Senate approved the funding Thursday, and President Donald Trump signed it on Friday morning.

That included votes from Democratic U.S. Reps. Cindy Axne, Abby Finkenauer and Dave Loebsack, as well as Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King.

U.S. Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst also approved the funding.

The money includes more than $3 billion for research and development for vaccines, $2.2 billion for prevention and response, and $1 billion for state and local responses.

How has the virus affected Iowa?

March 3: The coronavirus has begun to affect daily life in Iowa, though the full scope of potential impact is unclear.

State and local officials are evaluating a range of considerations about Iowans' ability to do things such as work, learn and congregate. Restrictions remain limited, but they have the potential, in some cases, to upend Iowans' routines and lives.

Register reporters Nick Coltrain, Barbara Rodriguez, Jason Clayworth, Brianne Pfannenstiel, Austin Cannon, Sarah LeBlanc, Cecelia Hanley, the Associated Press and Iowa City Press-Citizen reporter Aimee Breaux contributed to this report.

A subscription makes work like this possible. Sign up at DesMoinesRegister.com/Deal.

Monkeypox outbreak: 1.6 million vaccines to be released in the U.S.

More than 1.6 million vaccines to combat monkeypox will be released in the United States throughout the rest of the year, and anyone possibly exposed to the virus is encouraged to get vaccinated, federal health officials said Tuesday.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will release 56,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine immediately in areas where monkeypox transmission rates are high, followed by an additional 240,000 doses in the coming weeks. The vaccines will be distributed through a tier system, prioritizing areas with a high number of confirmed cases.

The move comes as the U.S. has recorded more than 300 cases of monkeypox across more than two dozen states.

"We are recommending that vaccines be provided to both people with known monkeypox exposures who are contacted by public health, and also to those people who've been recently exposed to monkeypox but may not be identified through case investigation and contact tracing," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Tuesday.

Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of CDC’s Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, said intimate or sexual contact "seems to be a primary driver for transmission."

Health officials said those who have had a sexual partner diagnosed with monkeypox, as well as men who have had sex with other men who have had multiple sexual partners in areas where monkeypox cases are rising, should get vaccinated.

There are no treatments specifically for monkeypox infections, but smallpox viruses are genetically similar, meaning smallpox vaccines could be used to prevent monkeypox infections. The Jynneos vaccine is one of those vaccines, and it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2019 for monkeypox prevention in people ages 18 and older. It requires two doses, taken four weeks apart.

Research data from Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security suggests the vaccine is 85% effective against preventing monkeypox, but it is unknown how well it protects humans from contracting the virus.

On top of the nearly 300,000 vaccine doses becoming available in the U.S. in the next few weeks, the HHS expects 750,000 additional Jynneos vaccines will be made available over the summer, with 500,000 doses released throughout the fall, pushing the expected total to 1.6 million doses this year.

Monkeypox vaccines: What to know about the Jynneos vaccine

Closer look:Rising reports of rare monkeypox cases in US and around the world raise concern

The announcement comes the same day the CDC announced it was activating its Emergency Operations Center, which "allows the agency to further increase operational support for the response to meet the outbreak’s evolving challenges."

'This is not a novel virus'

The concern surrounding the rise of monkeypox, which is typically found in parts of Central and West Africa, comes because cases have popped up in places where it usually isn't reported. More than 4,700 cases have been reported in 49 countries this year as of Tuesday, Walensky said. The largest outbreak is in the United Kingdom.

In the U.S., 306 cases have been reported in more than 26 states, most of them in California, New York, Illinois and Florida, according to CDC data.

Caused by a virus in the same family as smallpox, monkeypox is transmissible through person-to-person contact with rashes, scabs or bodily fluids, as well as touching infected items such as clothes. Symptoms, which can begin to appear seven to 14 days after exposure, include fever, muscle aches, exhaustion and a rash that can appear through the body. It is fatal for up to 1 in 10 people, the World Health Organization says.

Areas where monkeypox transmission is high can also request shipments of the ACAM2000 vaccine. Although the vaccine has proved effective against the virus, the FDA says, it carries a risk of serious side effects, such as myocarditis and pericarditis, or inflammation and swelling of the heart and surrounding tissues.

White House COVID-19 response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said monkeypox outbreaks have happened before and have been handled effectively.

"This is not a novel virus. Unlike COVID of two years ago, monkeypox is a virus that's been around forever. We've known about it for at least 60-some-odd years, and we've spent years studying and treating monkeypox in endemic nations," Jha said. "This outbreak requires both vigilance, as well as a comprehensive approach, so that's why we're prepared to act rapidly."

Contributing: Mike Snider, Elizabeth Weise

Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.

Florida Governor activates EOC to highest level as officials plan to ...

James Call

USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau

As the number of reported coronavirus infections grows in Florida, the state's top leaders Saturday battened down, messaging the need for a greater effort — and patience — to get to the other side of the pandemic.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee was moving to Level 1, its highest degree of activation.

Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz told residents to stock up on supplies while quickly adding there are as yet no supply chain issues.

Public health and emergency officials spent the day marshaling forces to blunt the virus' transmission and help people navigate a near shutdown of social, business and civil life for at least the next two weeks, if not longer.

Earlier:Coronavirus in Florida: Gov. DeSantis announces more test kits, courts suspending jury trials

And Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried huddled in a conference call with school district administrators to figure out how to provide food to kids who rely on free and reduced meals until schools re-open March 31. More than 2 million Florida school children rely on schools for breakfast and lunch.

As of Saturday morning, the Florida Department of Health reported 70 Florida residents and seven non-residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. There have been four deaths attributed to the pandemic.

(Later Saturday, the Department of Health confirmed another person who previously tested positive for COVID-19 had died. He was a 77-year-old Lee County man.)

Most patients are in South Florida, with Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties accounting for 33 known cases. Officials are awaiting the results of 221 tests and 365 individuals are being monitored for the virus.

DeSantis said most of the Florida infections stemmed from international travel and that there has been little "community spread" of the virus in Florida, as of yet. The CDC defines community spread as occurring when a person infected with the coronavirus "reportedly did not have relevant travel history or exposure to another known patient with COVID-19."

But DeSantis, who appeared at an EOC briefing, said Florida can expect more infections as he focused attention on the fatality rate among those over the age of 70 or with underlying medical conditions.

The governor extended a prohibition to the entire state on visitations to nursing homes and similar facilities that he imposed just on Broward County Friday. He extended all nursing home licenses for 90 days and 30 days for other group home facilities so that staff would not “be distracted” during the crisis.

He also suspended deadlines for driver’s license renewals and professional licensing renewal for 30 days and directed Health Secretary and state Surgeon General Scott Rivkee to reach to the state's public health schools to recruit workers — and ideas.

“It's all hands on deck to help,” DeSantis said. “We are on an emergency posture here.”

Still, he continued to say the likelihood of any Floridian to be infected is relatively low: “Particularly if you are not in a frail or vulnerable population, (the chance of) being negatively impacted is very small."

He did justify the need to avoid large crowds and for "social distancing" and self-isolation by noting the death rate among the elderly in Italy is near 20%. "You could acquire this, have no negative impact on you personally, but then can be involved transmitting to someone where it could be serious,” he said.

With Level 1 activation of the EOC, the state's response to the outbreak will be coordinated out of Tallahassee.

“Let me be clear: We are not waiting for the situation on the ground to dictate response. We are doing things ... before they are necessary,” Moskowitz said.

He said people should not be alarmed by empty shelves at stores because unlike a hurricane, supply chains have not been disrupted and he is in touch with large suppliers like Wal-Mart and Amazon.

DeSantis has joined with other states shuttered public-school house doors for the next two weeks. As of Saturday, nine states have acted on the federal recommendation to avoid large gatherings, and nine states have closed schools.

Back story:Leon County schools closed until March 30 due to coronavirus concerns

Elsewhere in Tallahassee, Fried and her staff held conference calls with local school officials to help school districts with the paperwork that will ensure they are reimbursed for the food they distribute during the shutdown.

“School meals are the only meals they can count on,” said Fried, about the importance of the state’s Food Service Program for schools who serve needy populations.

Her department administers more than $1.3 billion in federal grants to provide breakfast and lunch during the school year and a summer food program.

It has received waivers to U.S. Agriculture Department rules that prohibit use of the funds when classes are not in session, or be spent for meals provided in a “non-congregrant” setting, as recommended by social-distancing guidelines.

Fried wants to post a “Meal Locator” map online Monday to show the public where the food distribution sites are located. Plans that have been submitted as of Saturday included distribution from the after-school pick-up site, through the traditional school bus route, a grab-and-go service and a drive-through method.

The coronavirus can stay infectious for days on a surface, be present in a person without any symptoms and linger in a body for many weeks. As of Friday, nationwide, about 25,000 schools with 22 million students were scheduled to be closed for up to a month, according to Education Week.

The feds have recommended schools use the time to have staff disinfect frequently touched areas such as desks, countertops, electronics and doorknobs.

James Call is part of the USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com. Follow on Twitter @CallTallahassee.

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Arizona tribes respond to COVID-19 with emergency declarations ...

At least 18 of Arizona's 22 tribes have declared states of emergency in response to COVID-19.

The Navajo Nation and Gila River Indian Community are the only tribes in Arizona to announce they have positive cases of COVID-19 among their tribal citizens, and more tribes have shut down their gaming enterprises and implemented more precautions for their communities.

Ak-Chin Indian Community

The Ak-Chin Community Council declared a state of emergency on March 27 in response to the "growing public health threat" posed by COVID-19.

There are no positive cases of COVID-19 in the Ak-Chin Indian Community, according to a press release.

“This emergency declaration authorizes Ak-Chin leaders to take all steps necessary to protect our people from this dangerous viral outbreak,” Ak-Chin Chairman Robert Miguel said in the press release. “We’ve activated our Emergency Operation Center to centralize the Tribe’s disease response efforts, and now have authorization to utilize all necessary resources, including equipment, manpower and more, to meet this historic challenge."

The state of emergency declaration is the latest action the Ak-Chin Indian Community Council has taken in response to COVID-19. Before the declaration, the tribe closed Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino & Resort and the Ultra-Star Multi-Tainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle until at least April 2 and canceled all in-person, community-sponsored events, programs and gatherings.

“We ask that Ak-Chin members take extra care to avoid groups of people, stay home as much as possible, and be vigilant in washing hands and practicing good hygiene," Miguel said. "Be especially mindful of elders, young children and other individuals who may be vulnerable to this disease. We’re all in this together.”

Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe

The Quechan Tribal Council declared a state of emergency on March 27 in an effort to minimize the threat of a potential outbreak and spread of COVID-19 on tribal land.

The tribe will cease all casino operations and reduce the operation of tribal programs and facilities for "the health and safety" of tribal citizens and surrounding communities of Yuma and Imperial counties, according to an update posted by the Quechan Tribal Council.

"A State of Emergency will make it possible to apply for state and federal funds when and if they become available to Tribes," the council stated. "Such funding will make Quechan resources available to help formalize emergency actions that are already underway within the tribal government while assisting the Tribe to prepare for the potential outbreak of COVID-19."

Tribal administration offices are closed to the public, and the council said it's undetermined when employees can report back to work.

"These are trying and uncertain times and we would like to thank our membership, guests and dedicated employees for helping us take the preventative measure for the benefit of many," the council stated.

Pueblo of Zuni

The Zuni Tribal Council declared a state of emergency on March 19.

According to the resolution, all tribal divisions and programs comply with federal and state recommendations related to COVID-19 and have implemented reasonable measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Tribal Emergency Operation manager will implement an Incident Command Team to provide information and recommendations on how to minimize the impacts of COVID-19.

All tribal administrative offices are closed until April 6.

The tribe has not taken any official action to close the Pueblo of Zuni community, but discourages community members from leaving for unnecessary travel.

San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe

The San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe declared a state of emergency on March 17.

The resolution includes the restriction of all government-related travel by tribal employees, as well as the cancellation of any event sponsored by the tribe or gatherings of more than 10 people.

As of March 23, an announcement was posted on the tribe's website indicating that the council will be closed until further notice in an effort to protect the community, elders and staff from COVID-19.

Colorado River Indian Tribes

The Colorado River Tribal Council declared a state of emergency March 13.

There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Colorado River Indian Tribe, according to a community update written by Chairman Dennis Patch.

The tribe announced the temporary closure of the BlueWater Resort & Casino, effective March 20. The facility will reopen in two weeks or when the tribe determines it's safe, the announcement states.

All other tribal enterprises will remain open "under new safety measures."

All tribal departments and enterprises are required to disinfect all surfaces multiple times a day, according to the emergency declaration. Hand sanitizer is available in all departments and enterprises for employees and the public.

Hopi Tribe

The Hopi Tribe declared a state of emergency March 17.

Some of the things the declaration includes are the activation of the Hopi Emergency Response Team, suspension of travel for business for 30 days as well as the cancellation or postponement of all events that gather 50 or more people for the next eight weeks.

All Hopi tribal department managers, village community service administrators and program managers should develop a plan that allows employees to work from home. Vendors will also not be allowed to sell on any tribally owned property.

Hualapai Tribe

The Hualapai Tribal Council declared a state of emergency March 17.

As part of the declaration, an incident command team has been activated to develop a response plan, all non-essential tribal employees will be placed on administrative leave for 14 days and all gatherings of more than 20 people are discouraged.

"The community is not quarantined but we are self-isolating to help prevent the spread of this virus," Incident Commander Melvin Hunter Jr. said in a press release. "Until April 1, non-essential departments will either be closed or have minimal staff available."

Hunter said in a press release that they are encouraging all community members returning home to the Hualapai community from travel or extended absences to check in with EMS for precautionary screening.

San Carlos Apache

The San Carlos Apache Tribe declared a state of emergency March 14.

The tribal council held meetings with health care providers and tribal emergency response officials to determine how best to respond to the pandemic, San Carlos Apache Tribal Chairman Terry Rambler wrote on his Facebook page.

"In these challenging times with this virus that currently does not have a cure, I ask all of us to work together, to look out for each other, and rely on the power of prayer," Rambler wrote.

The resolution ordered tribal government workers to work from home where possible, while others will be placed on paid administrative leave for 30 days to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Gatherings of more than 100 people are barred, with the exclusion of religious or traditional ceremonial gatherings, economic venues such as the Apache Gold Casino Resort and health care services. Most travel by tribal officials has been halted.

As of March 11, the tribe said that two patients were seen at the San Carlos Apache Healthcare Corporation with COVID-19 symptoms. They were both tested and the results came back negative, according to a press release.

The tribe is preparing for COVID-19, and the medical staff is following the CDC rules for testing, the release states.

The San Carlos Apache Gaming Enterprise has closed its gaming facilities — the Apache Gold Casino Resort and the Apache Sky Casino — from March 19 until April 3, according to Chief Executive Officer Matt Olin.

Fort McDowell Yavapai

The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation declared a state of emergency March 18 and announced the temporary closure of the We-Ko-Pa Casino and Resort and tribal government offices until April 2.

"This was a painful decision as our casino is the economic lifeblood of our Nation," said Bernadine Burnette, president of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.

"The global coronavirus crisis threatens the physical health and economic welfare of all Americans. Addressing this crisis requires significant sacrifices from all of us. The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation will do its part to defeat this threat," she said.

The tribe will pay employees with benefits during the shutdown, the press release states. The casino and resort closed March 18, and tribal government offices closed March 19.

The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation closed its senior center March 12 until further notice, according to a release. Only home-bound services will continue, and meals normally served to elders at the center will be delivered.

All gatherings of more than 25 people, including religious services and traditional ceremonies, are now prohibited.

Salt River

The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community declared a state of emergency on March 18.

"An emergency declaration allows the government to act outside normal business practices, for example, normal purchasing procedures do not apply during emergency declarations," said Martin Harvier, president of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, in a video posted on the tribe's Facebook page.

"The SPPIMC government will provide essential services even with this emergency declaration in place," he said.

The tribe activated a command team to deal with the pandemic, said Kim Secakuku, a spokesperson for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

"We have established a hotline for community members to use if they need help or show symptoms," said Secakuku.

The tribal government is providing its citizens and employees with regular updates and information on the virus' spread, as Secakuku noted that "things change daily." The tribe has also canceled community programs and events to prevent disease spread.

The tribe suspended all gaming and resort operations at Talking Stick Resort and Casino Arizona from March 18 to March 31, according to a press release. No employees or guests have been identified with the virus.

Gila River

The tribal council for the Gila River Indian Community announced March 18 that it will be closing all three of its gaming facilities for two weeks.

The salaries and wages for employees impacted by the closure will be maintained for the two-week period, according to the press release.

"The Community Council is aware of the heavy responsibility we bear for the health and well-being of our customers and employees and has determined that this is the best course of action at this time," Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis said.

The tribe declared a state of emergency March 13 in response to COVID-19. This executive order includes suspending all travel for tribal employees for the next 30 days as well as all community-sponsored gatherings of more than 100 people.

"There have been no reported cases of coronavirus within our community," Lewis said in a video posted on Facebook.

He said that information comes from his recent meeting with the Gila River Indian Community's COVID-19 task force, which is made up of the Gila River Health Care Department and Gila River Emergency Management Department.

The Gila River Indian Community developed a website to keep its citizens up to date on anything related to COVID-19. The website is grhc.org and the hotline number is 520-550-6079.

Tohono O'odham

The Tohono O'odham Nation declared a state of emergency on March 13.

Tohono O'odham Chairman Ned Norris announced that under the nation's constitution, he is establishing a "unified command" which will centralize the nation's efforts to respond to the COVID-19 threat to its 28,000 citizens.

On March 18, Norris signed an executive order stating that all the nation's non-essential programs will be closed, non-essential employees are relieved of their work duties with pay and non-essential employees may be detailed to essential employees, as needed, to assist in the efforts of COVID-19. This order will remain in effect until April 23.

The tribe also announced the temporary suspension of all gaming operations starting March 18. The closure will impact all four Desert Diamond Casinos near Tucson, Sahuarita, Why (Ajo), and the West Valley, in Glendale.

“In this unprecedented time, it is our duty to protect the community and collective action is needed to slow this virus," Norris said in a press release.

"I commend the other tribal casinos who are also making tough decisions for their own communities as well," he added. "It is in moments like these that our communities must rise to the challenge by relying on the shared values of compassion, collaboration, and generosity that have inspired us for generations.”

Pascua Yaqui

The Pascua Yaqui Tribe, which has a community and a satellite tribal office in Guadalupe, declared a state of emergency March 19 in response to COVID-19.

The tribe formed an Incident Command System so that all the information coming in about COVID-19 is funneled through a central source so it's accurate and up to date.

“The ICS is comprised of representatives from police, fire, health, IT, communications, among others, who have been authorized by Tribal Council to communicate directly to the community information regarding COVID-19,” said Chairman Robert Valencia in a press release.

The emergency declaration is in addition to the travel restrictions and other preventative measures set in place for the Pascua Yaqui tribal communities. The tribe issued its first health advisory on Jan. 30, then travel restrictions on March 6 with expanded tribal restrictions on March 12.

“It is critically important that we do what we can to protect our community members, especially our most vulnerable members,” Valencia said.

The tribe also ceased all operations at Casino Del Sol from March 18 until April 13.

Tonto Apache Tribe

The Tonto Apache Tribal Council declared a state of emergency on March 18.

All tribal enterprises will be closed as of March 19 for a minimum of two weeks. This includes the tribal government and Mazatzal Hotel & Casino.

The hotel and casino made the announcement on Facebook, indicating that all tribal employees will be on paid leave.

"As one of the largest employers in Payson, we felt it was in the best interests of our employees to be proactive and close our tribal enterprises. We must do our part to prevent the spread of this disease," Chairwoman Jeri DeCola said on her Facebook page.

White Mountain Apache

The White Mountain Apache Nation declared a state of emergency March 19 in response to COVID-19, and the tribe's emergency management group has been activated to manage the public health threat.

There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the White Mountain Apache community, according to the declaration.

The tribe also announced the temporary suspension of gaming operations at Hon-Dah Resort and Casino, effective March 20.

"Out of an abundance of caution; out of concern for Hon-Dah's employees and guests; and in solidarity with local communities and our sister tribes, the Tribal Council finds that temporarily suspending gaming operations at Hon-Dah is in the best interests of the tribe and its members," Chairwoman Gwendena Lee-Gatewood said in a press release.

Yavapai-Apache Nation

The Yavapai Apache Nation declared a state of emergency on March 19.

On March 26, the Yavapai-Apache Nation announced that the tribal government and casino will remain closed until at least April 10.

The tribal government has been closed since March 19.

In a statement from Yavapai-Apache Chairman Jon Huey, all employees will work from home. The tribe closed its casino and hotel operations on March 18.

"As a people, we have historically faced extremely difficult times and were always able to call upon our inner strength to support ourselves and our families," Huey said in his statement. "Together we will do what needs to be done to face the threat and protect our Nation for the brighter days that are surely ahead."

Havasupai Tribe

The Havasupai Tribe declared a state of emergency on March 20. A resolution by the tribal council blocked most travel into the village of Supai, which sits on the floor of the Grand Canyon.

The declaration came five days after the council suspended visits to Havasupai Falls, the world-famous tourist destination that provides the overwhelming majority of the tribe's operating budget. It authorized the tribe to seek federal funding to cover what is expected to be a gaping hole in the tribe's finances.

About 75% of jobs on the Havasupai Nation are based on tourism. The tribe estimates that a 30-day closure of its tourism office and lodge would cut its annual revenue by 7%.

The declaration also sealed off the village of Supai, which is accessible only by helicopter or a hike down the canyon. The tribe will allow only essential personnel into the community, naming employees of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service as examples.

“With an already limited access point, any possible closures or restrictions on movement will wreak havoc on the health, safety, and welfare of Havasupai Tribal Members if it interrupts the flow of food, cleaning, and medical supplies to the Havasupai Reservation,” Havasupai Tribe chairwoman Eva Kissoon said in a statement.

About 426 people live in Supai. Many of them, the declaration notes, are diabetic, asthmatic or have otherwise weakened immune systems.

There is no hospital in Supai. The community is served by a single clinic, which has one physician and two nurses. The declaration notes that there is almost no flu medicine within the community.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Reach the reporter at debra.krol@AZCentral.com or at 602-444-8490. Follow her on Twitter at @debkrol. Reporter Shondiin Silversmith covers Indigenous people and communities in Arizona. Reach her at ssilversmi@arizonarepublic.com and follow her Twitter @DiinSilversmith.

Republic reporter Alden Woods contributed to this article.

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NJ COVID reflections: Our health reporter looks back on 2020 ...

In early December 2019, I sat in a conference room at the federal Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, listening to its director, Dr. Robert Redfield, answer a question: Is America ready for another major infectious disease like Ebola or the Zika virus?

Redfield's response reiterated what most public health experts knew, but coming from him, it was jarring. "It’s not a secret,” he said. “Our nation is not prepared for a flu pandemic.”

He was certain such a pandemic would one day arrive, and although he couldn't foresee when, he knew it would be bad: “It’s going to be a huge loss of life.”

Little did I — or possibly even he — know how prescient his response was. Substitute "flu" with the generic word “virus,” and it’s clear the leader of what was then regarded as the world’s premier public health institution saw trouble on the horizon.

I was in Atlanta along with a dozen other members of the Association of Health Care Journalists for a weeklong program called “Inside the CDC.” We covered it all, from databases to diabetes, vaping to vaccinations.

After three decades of covering health care in New Jersey, it honestly was a thrill. I was past security and inside the black box, the sanctum sanctorum of health care.

We toured the CDC emergency operations center, with its giant wall of interactive maps and screens. We sat in its conference room, whose windows can be fogged for high security video chats with the White House. We heard from the disease detectives — members of the Epidemic Intelligence Service — who had first identified Legionnaire’s disease and HIV.

Despite all this — and Redfield’s honest assessment of the next big thing — I had no idea what was about to hit me and the North Jersey community I write about.

But when reports began to emerge from China at the end of December about a novel virus infecting people in Wuhan — one never before seen in humans — I could picture what was happening at the CDC. Back in New Jersey, I pricked up my ears. I paid attention.

The first CDC teleconference for reporters about the virus took place on Jan. 17. Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, announced plans for travelers arriving in the United States from Wuhan to undergo health screenings at airports.

Four days later, she was back. The first case of the novel coronavirus in the U.S.— it wasn’t named COVID-19 for several more weeks — had been diagnosed in a Washington State man who had arrived from China before the screenings began. "CDC activated emergency response center,” my notes read. “Expect additional cases in United States and globally," and “believe the risk to the public is low.”

And so it began.

Messonnier, who once sought to calm our fears, dramatically changed course on Feb. 25. “This could be bad,” she warned the public. She explained that community spread of the disease was imminent and urged Americans to prepare.

After that, she and the CDC were largely shunted aside.

That's when I warned friends on Facebook. Not to be alarmist, I wrote, but "It's time to have a plan. Figure out whether you can work from home, consult the doctor without visiting the office, and what you'll do if schools close. Buy canned food and antiseptic wipes."

Since then, I have joined more than 150 press conferences via Zoom, YouTube, Facebook and phone, with the CDC, the federal Health and Human Services Department, and Gov. Phil Murphy. I have written more than 400 online stories and about 150 for print, all but a handful about the coronavirus. I have lost sleep, canceled vacations and declined a corporate buyout offer. It has been the story of my career — and it’s not over.

It’s shocking how much has changed since those first days.

It has been an emotional roller coaster — for me, as an eyewitness to what front-line health care workers have had to endure, and for those whose lives the virus has disrupted, and ultimately destroyed.

In early March, I started a file in which I attempted to list every patient diagnosed with the coronavirus in New Jersey — not each fatality, mind you, but each patient. That's when each day’s report by state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli contained fewer than 10 new patients. Tests were few and far between.

The first was James Cai, who was admitted to Hackensack University Medical Center on March 4. Now, we’re up to a statewide total of over 479,000 cases — more than 5% of New Jersey’s population.

My attempts at such a list, of course, were soon overwhelmed. What followed was far more grim.

On March 24, Alan Finder, my friend and a onetime Record editor who also was an esteemed journalist at the New York Times, died at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. My husband, a USA Today reporter who had taken the buyout I declined, wrote his obituary for The Record.

The deaths came quickly back then. Each was a story like Alan’s: a tragic loss, deeply mourned. At The Record, we decided to try to memorialize them — as many as we could. That's how the statewide Loved and Lost series, now coordinated by Montclair State University, began.

We wanted to ensure that the grandparents, parents, children and other loved ones lost to COVID were not reduced to a set of statistics, and to remind readers that these victims were the life and blood, the unique and important threads that helped stitch together the beautiful fabric of our community.

My own role has been to spotlight the health care workers who have died — literally in the line of duty.

Loved and Lost:Emmanuel 'Manny' Carrillo, a family man with a megawatt smile

In memoriam:Waldwick family physician who died of COVID-19 remembered as inspiration for doctors, nurses

Loved and Lost:Nancy Martell was a voice for patient safety while working at Palisades hospital

For me, this job has never been so emotional. Despite all the newly familiar jargon — flattening the curve, PPE, test positivity rates and rates of transmission — for the doctors, nurses, nursing home aides, patients and family members I’ve interviewed, these pandemic months have been a crucible of anxiety, frustration, exhaustion, and horrific loss.

I think of the nurse’s aides who told me in early April of the unseen, smoldering outbreaks at nursing homes around the state, where personal protective equipment and test swabs were locked away, and of their co-workers who were falling sick — sometimes fatally — and of the residents who were dying so quickly they couldn't even be tested.

The residents of one Jersey City nursing home were crying, a nurse there told me. “They're afraid they're going to die. We tell them they'll be OK,” she said. “But we know they won't be." During that interview, she herself was at home with a 103-degree fever.

I think of Arlene Van Dyk, a critical care nurse at Holy Name Medical Center, who told me in late March about the sights and sounds of a 12-hour shift in the intensive care unit where 19 patients were on ventilators. Her patients were sedated into paralysis, but still she spoke words of encouragement to them. They are not “COVID-19 patients,” she said. “They are people.”

And I think of Sofia Burke, whose entire Elmwood Park household of eight became infected with COVID as the result of a single act of kindness — her mother giving a lift to an elderly friend. Sofia’s father died, her mother was hospitalized, and Sophia herself spent Thanksgiving and Christmas on oxygen in the hospital.

She couldn’t help but think of her father’s death and her family’s struggle at home. "Every time I cry,” she said, “my oxygen level goes down.”

There are so many other stories I tried to report: the desperation of family members unable to visit their loved ones in nursing homes, frantic as long-term care deaths mounted. The trauma of nurses who ran out of body bags and toe tags and feared the pandemic’s second wave. The lack of transparency about hospital staff outbreaks. The slow recovery of a man who’d been on a ventilator for nearly a month.

I found I wanted to do something more about COVID-19 than write about it. So in September, I joined a clinical trial for the Moderna vaccine. I hoped it would yield an interesting story and also allow me an inside glimpse of the research process and the “warp speed” race to develop a defense against the virus.

I still don’t know whether I received a vaccine or the placebo, although based on my reaction, I believe it was the vaccine. Both Moderna’s vaccine and another, similar vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, were recently authorized for emergency use by the federal Food and Drug Administration. This month, I wrote about some of the first vaccines being administered to health care workers in New Jersey.

I’m paid to report fact, not share my opinions. But I’d be kidding you if I didn’t admit that the next time a CDC director tells me disaster is looming, I hope that person is wrong, or that we’ve learned from this disaster — and do something about it.

Lindy Washburn is a senior health care reporter for NorthJersey.com. To keep up-to-date about how changes in the medical world affect the health of you and your family, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: washburn@northjersey.com

Twitter: @lindywa