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Further explanation on situation and rumors involving Postville after highest single-day case total reported

After a somewhat calming week that featured just one reported positive case of COVID-19 in Allamakee County during the final week of March, this past week that opened the month of April featured another eye-opening reality that this pandemic virus can be unpredictable and requires continuous adherence to the mitigation policies put in place.

After a week had passed since that lone positive case for Allamakee County in the final week of March was reported March 25, the latest dose of reality came Thursday, April 2 when the Iowa Department of Public Health announced eight more positive cases for the county - the county’s highest single-day report that more than doubled the previous total of seven positive cases that had been reported in the county since its first positive case had been made known March 15.

(Does not include newest case reported Monday, April 6)

Total cases to date (As of Sunday, April 5): 17
Cases requiring hospitalization: 4
Deaths due to COVID-19: 1
Cases recovered/off isolation: 13
Number of tests sent to State Hygienic Lab (SHL)**: 59
Number of negative tests processed at SHL: 42
Number of tests pending at SHL: 3

**NOTE: Allamakee County Public Health is not able to track the number of negative tests conducted on Allamakee County residents at reference labs such as Gundersen, Mayo, University of Iowa, etc. All positive tests from these facilities are reported to the Iowa Department of Public Health, who then notifies Allamakee County Public Health to initiate follow-up measures locally.
 

by Lissa Blake

In light of Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ recent extension of school closures from April 13 to April 30 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all schools in Allamakee County remain closed for the time being.

Eastern Allamakee Community School District Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier said, “Eastern Allamakee will follow the Governor’s order and we will keep our schools closed through April 30. We will continue to offer voluntary learning opportunities as it currently is right now until further notice. Our meal-site program will also continue.”

Allamakee Community School District Superintendent Jay Mathis said this week students will begin online learning opportunities through the District’s learning management system. “Teachers will post some video lessons and there will be links to activities. It will also provide a forum for students to ask questions,” said Mathis.

Three highway projects scheduled by the Wisconsin and Iowa Departments of Transportation (DOT) this year will have some travel impact for area motorists, beginning as early as the middle of this month of April and some continuing on through the summer months. Two projects by the Wisconsin DOT along the Mississippi River are slated to begin in April and impact travel to and from Wisconsin, while the Iowa DOT is scheduled to conduct a repaving project of State Highway 9 beginning in late April/early May and lasting throughout the summer.

All project timelines are dependent upon weather conditions. They are described in greater detail below:

From: Allamakee County Emergency Management Agency, Allamakee County Public Health and the Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office

The following release is to provide information related to various rumors and statements specific to the community of Postville and to also provide additional information related to the COVID-19 response within Allamakee County.

There have been numerous calls, emails and social media posts reference the arrival of busloads of people within Postville from outside jurisdictions.  In conversation with the local officials in Postville, to include law enforcement and the leadership within the community mentioned, there is no evidence or credible proof that this is occurring. While travel is recommended to be restricted in many cases from certain areas, this is not mandated, and people are still free to travel within the United States.  Our guidance to everyone is to avoid unnecessary travel at this time and social distancing is in place.

Local health officials advising individuals to stay vigilant in mitigation measures

The daily reports of COVID-19 cases issued by the Iowa Department of Public Health have been bittersweet at the local level of Allamakee County this past week.

While those daily reports have revealed just one additional positive case being confirmed within Allamakee County in the past week’s time after six initial cases had been reported in the previous week, the news released Friday, March 27 of one of those initial Allamakee County cases having their life claimed by the virus cast a shadow on the otherwise hopeful low case count reported from March 24-30. Robert “Bob” Thompson, age 77, of rural Waterville passed away Thursday evening, March 26 from complications of being infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, his passing being confirmed by his family’s social media posts and his obituary that appears in this week’s issue of The Standard.

Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker reports that Allamakee County received a delivery of medical supplies from the State of Iowa Saturday afternoon, March 28 in response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, with that delivery being made by the Iowa National Guard. Snitker said the delivered medical supplies consisted mainly of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as N95 masks, surgical masks, disposable gloves and face shields, along with other medical items, cleaning supplies and hand sanitizers. None of the delivery involved medicinal items.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

Shep’s Riverside Bar and Grill in Lansing is one of the many area bars and restaurants that depend on socializing, not social distancing, for their livelihood as well as the livelihood of their employees. Business has been dramatically affected because of the limitations to just take-out food by the current COVID-19 pandemic, but owner Justin Shepard, along with many volunteers, recently proved that people do care about each other and will go to extreme means to show that kindness.

Shepard has owned the bar for the last five years but the establishment has been a mainstay along the river in Lansing since 1967.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon wishes to alert the public to a few more updates and ways the public can help during this COVID-19 challenge:

COVID-19 is circulating in Iowa communities and many more Iowans are likely to become ill in the coming weeks. This guidance offered by the Iowa Department of Public Health describes self-isolation recommendations for well Iowans with potential COVID-19 exposure.

Iowans who may not yet be showing symptoms should stay at home and isolate themselves from other people and animals in the home in the following situations. Isolation should be in place for 14 days after the last exposure:

• Traveled outside of Iowa for business or vacation in the last 14 days.
• Taken a cruise anywhere in the world in the last 14 days.
• Traveled internationally to a country with a level 3 travel warning in the last 14 days.
• Live with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19 or has tested positive for COVID-19.

Self-isolation means: