In the first two weeks of July, Iowa has added more than 6,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nearly 40 deaths. Washington County Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski provided a local update on COVID-19 at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. She said in Region 5, which covers southeast Iowa, there has been a recent increase in hospitalizations due to the virus, “We are starting to see our COVID patients that are hospitalized has taken an increase. Our patients who are hospitalized, our patients who are in the ICU, and our patients who have been admitted in the previous 24 hours, in the last two weeks we have seen those numbers start to increase. Right now we have 37 patients hospitalized, 19 patients in the ICU, and 11 patients in the last 24 hours were admitted.”

Governor Kim Reynolds on Tuesday said COVID-19 is far from over and she doesn’t want progress to go backwards. She encourages people to be personally responsible, “Not because it’s mandated, but because it’s the right thing to do. Whether it’s wearing a mask, social distancing, practicing good hygiene, or staying home when we’re sick, these simple steps continue to be the best defense against the virus. So, let’s step up Iowa.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, Washington County had 254 confirmed cases and 221 of those people have recovered. Washington County has had nine residents die.