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Webster County COVID-19 cases now up to 15

Webster County Public Health confirmed two additional COVID-19 cases Tuesday, bringing the county to 15 cases total. The two new cases fall into the adult (age 18-40) and middle age adult (age 41-60) categories.

COVID-19 cases fall into the following age categories:

-Child (age 0-17): 1

-Adult (age 18-40): 6

-Middle age adult (age 41-60): 5

-Older adult (age 61-80): 3

Ten of the cases have recovered since their diagnosis. A total of 1,108 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Webster County, about 3% of the county’s population, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH.)

“It is important to remember that our numbers will ebb and flow back and forth as positive tests are received and disease investigations completed,” said Webster County Public Health Director Kari Prescott. “Once we validate residency and contact tracing for each positive patient, we will update the public with factual information.”

Statewide, the total positive count surpassed 15,000 Tuesday. Another two deaths were reported Monday, bringing the statewide total to 367.

The IDPH notes that a total of 5,118 people in Webster County have taken an online assessment via Test Iowa, the state’s testing initiative, up about 800 from The Messenger’s last count. Assessments do not reflect the number of people who have received a diagnostic test for COVID-19.

Earlier this week, the state announced that COVID-19 case numbers on the state’s website, coronavirus.iowa.gov, would be updated in real time.

Once a positive test result is received by WCPH, a nurse begins a standard disease investigation. Disease investigation procedures are used not only for COVID-19 but for other contagious illnesses as well. As part of investigations, the patient is asked about the people that they have been around and the places that they have been during a specified period of time. That information is recorded by a public health nurse. At times, it will be determined that while a patient was tested in Webster County, they do not reside in nor had exposure in the county. It is during this time in the investigation that their case may be transferred to be recorded in another county.

WCPH said they will contact all contacts exposed to a positive patient.

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