State Of Iowa Confirms 8 COVID-19 Cases

The Cedar Rapids Gazette is reporting that eight positive cases of COVID-19, or coronavirus, have been confirmed in Iowa as of Monday evening.

Four of the Iowans who tested positive for the respiratory disease were on the same Egyptian cruise tied to three other cases reported by officials earlier this week. All seven are from Johnson County. The eighth confirmed case is in Pottawattamie County in Western Iowa.

Monday evening, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency, activating the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management's Iowa Emergency Response Plan. The proclamation allows state agencies to use state resources to help stop the spread of the disease.

All five of the new cases are related to travel and all affected individuals are currently in isolation at their homes. The Iowa Department of Public Health says that it can't confirm if the individuals had traveled through The Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids on their return trip home. Airport spokesperson Pam Hinman says that so far the airport has not been notified of any health agency related follow regarding any of the Johnson County cases.