An inflammatory condition in children potentially linked to COVID-19 has had two potential reports in eastern Iowa. Medical Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health Dr. Caitlin Pedati explained in Monday’s press conference with Governor Kim Reynolds that Pediatric Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome (PMIS) causes fever and signs of inflammation throughout the body, it’s been compared to Kawasaki Disease, with post-infection inflammation. She said the potential cases in eastern Iowa are currently stable.

Pedati said the CDC associated it with COVID-19 and it is now a mandatory reportable disease in the state of Iowa. She encourages families to continue to follow public health guidance with frequent hand washing, social distancing, and wearing a cloth mask in public.

Washington County Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski shares what steps people can continue to take to prevent the spread of the virus, “I would just encourage people to continue to maintain as much social distancing as possible. Only go out if necessary. Continue to wash your hands. If you are going out, I would wear a face covering, a cloth face covering even if you are maintaining that social distance, just as an additional precaution for the employees and for the other people who might be shopping or running errands. Cleaning high-traffic surface areas. So, a lot of the same things we’ve talked about, I would continue to be implementing those best practices.”

One in 31 Iowans have now been tested for COVID-19. According to the IDPH as of Monday, 103,148 Iowans have been tested and 14,955 people were positive. There have been 355 deaths in the state. As of Monday, Iowa had 382 hospitalized patients and 121 patients in Intensive Care Units with 85 people on ventilators.