COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Allamakee County

A slow but steady increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases within Allamakee County continued this past week, with six new cases being reported by the State of Iowa. That case increase leaves the Allamakee County case total at 151 as of Monday, August 3, according to information shared by the State of Iowa on its daily updated website, www.coronavirus.iowa.gov.

Allamakee County Public Health officials say the county currently has 149 positive confirmed cases, and may very well have a foundation upon which to contradict the State of Iowa numbers. Iowa Public Health first reported Allamakee County as having one additional case to begin this past week’s timeframe, Tuesday, July 28, but then erased that additional Tuesday case from Allamakee County’s total the very next day. The same may be said for the two most recent Allamakee County cases reported by the State of Iowa Monday, August 3 that may very well account for the discrepancy between the total case numbers reported by the State of Iowa and Allamakee County Public Health officials.

In between those possible State of Iowa discrepancies, four other cases for Allamakee County were reported on three consecutive days toward the end of the past week. One case each Thursday and Friday, July 30 and 31 was followed by two cases being reported Saturday, August 1.

Another discrepancy between State and County Public Health officials lies in the number of recovered vs. active cases being reported in the county. State of Iowa officials report 133 individuals have recovered, while Allamakee County Public Health reports it has nine individuals who are still in isolation recovering at home with no reports of hospitalized cases.

Despite whatever discrepancies may exist in reporting statistics, Allamakee County Public Health officials warn that it is “very important to follow the guidelines and recommendations put in place” for home isolation and quarantine, as they say these guidelines are not always being followed very well locally. Likewise, the wearing of facemasks, washing of hands and social distancing continue to be recommended measures to help prevent further spread of the virus.