NE Iowa News

Iowa Rep. Abby Finkenauer recently held a phone conference with state public health officials to discuss steps to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

With increasing confirmed cases across the country and entire states on lockdown, Iowa officials are letting members of the community know that they are doing all they can to contain the coronavirus and protect Iowa citizens.

“We are all in this together,” Finkenauer said during the closing moments of the conference call. “This is a trying time for our communities and health systems and our country. We need to take steps to keep each other safe.”

“Finkenauer and the other members of Iowa’s congressional delegation scrambled this week to respond to the virus — both in planning for large-scale legislative responses and in adjusting their own office operations to take into account public health recommendations,” according to a Bellevue Herald-Leader report.

The number of confirmed cases in Iowa skyrocketed to 298 as of Saturday morning – nearly quadrupling in just two days. There have also been three deaths reported after the first being announced last week.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds declared a state public health emergency March 24, closing down bars, theaters and fitness centers and prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people.

Earlier this month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that Iowa would receive $6.3 million for COVID-19 response efforts with additional federal help expected to follow in the coming weeks.

“I know everybody has beliefs but we are trying to put Republican and Democrat aside. We’ve got to come together right now,” Finkenauer said. “We all have been frustrated at some of the things we saw, especially the lack of urgency. But we are trying to work together and get things done now.”

As of Saturday morning the nationwide numbers have grown to over 112,000 confirmed cases and 1,837 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States now faces the most confirmed cases in the world.