Governor Kim Reynolds.
State officials have confirmed a coronavirus outbreak at the state’s largest nursing home, the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.
At least three residents of a long-term care facility must test positive for COVID-19 to meet the Iowa Department of Public Health’s definition of an outbreak. Additional outbreaks were announced this morning at nursing homes in Dallas and Dubuque Counties. Two nursing homes in Jasper County and two homes in Polk County now have outbreaks.
Governor Kim Reynolds this morning said COVID-19, unfortunately, spreads quickly in these kinds of congregate settings.
“We’re deploying long term care strike teams to conduct surveillance testing of employees in areas where virus activity is high,” Reynolds said during her daily news conference, “and will continue to ramp up these efforts.”
There are now confirmed coronavirus outbreaks at 23 Iowa nursing homes. On Monday, the commandant of the Iowa Veterans Home said 15 employees had tested positive for COVID-19.