Allamakee County reports five new COVID-19 cases this past week
A slower start to this past week in number of confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 for Allamakee County picked up a bit of steam as the week wore on, ultimately resulting in five new cases for Allamakee County this past week. Those five new cases leave Allamakee County at 168 total cases, according to the State of Iowa, which also lists that 141 of those cases have since recovered as of Monday, August 24.
From Monday, August 17 through Thursday, August 20, the State of Iowa listed no new cases being reported for Allamakee County, but that trend began to change through the weekend. Both Friday and Saturday, August 21-22 each had one new case listed, with Sunday, August 23 seeing two new cases and Monday, August 24 returning to one new case.
Those five new cases come from a total of 92 test results that were reported to State of Iowa officials within that same past week timeframe. Allamakee County Public Health reports that two of this past week’s new cases are currently hospitalized with four others in isolation.
NEIGHBORING COUNTIES
The month of August has seen cases in Allamakee County’s three surrounding counties of Clayton, Fayette and Winneshiek rise considerably, especially in comparison to Allamakee County’s case numbers, according to the State of Iowa’s daily updated website, www.coronavirus.iowa.gov. Undoubtedly, Allamakee County had an early case surge that pushed its confirmed positive case numbers over the 100 mark way back on May 8, with cases continuing to pile up at a slower consistency to the current Allamakee County total of 168 positive cases as of Monday, August 24.
In comparison, all three of those neighboring counties have finally reached the 100-case plateau during this month of August. Clayton County was first of those three to reach that century mark, August 5, and has since seen 52 additional cases to climb much closer to Allamakee County’s total, which itself has only risen by 17 cases since that August 5 date.
Similarly, Fayette County climbed into the triple-digit case count just over a week ago, August 17, and has since seen 23 additional cases in that past week’s time. Allamakee County has seen just five positive cases in that same past week’s timeframe.
Winneshiek County also saw a recent reach over the 100-case plateau, doing so August 14 and since having 71 additional cases rack up in less than two weeks to actually overtake Allamakee County’s case count total at 171 cases as of Monday, August 24. Since that August 14 date, Allamakee County has tallied eight total cases to sit at its 168 total cases.
That recent spike in cases for Winneshiek County has resulted in the county inching much closer to the 15% positivity threshold for those tested within the past 14 days that allows school districts within that county to petition the State of Iowa for a transition to full-time online learning for at least a two-week stretch. Winneshiek County currently sits at a 14-day positivity rate of 13.3%, with neighboring Howard County currently sitting at a 13.5% 14-day positivity rate as well. Clayton and Fayette Counties currently hold 14-day positivity rates of 8.9% and 6.3%, respectively, with Allamakee County holding a 4.3% 14-day positivity rate.
GOVERNOR EXTENDS EMERGENCY DECLARATION
Friday, August 21, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed another proclamation to continue the current State of Public Health Disaster Emergency through September 20 of this year in regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. The extension of that proclamation for another month continues the same guidelines for mass gathering restrictions, social distancing and other hygiene and public health considerations for businesses, and other guidance regarding healthcare services and education.
