Still more new coronavirus cases are being reported in Iowa.  Thursday’s (5/7) report from the Iowa Department of Public Health lists another 655 positive COVID-19 cases for a pandemic total of 11,059. 40 of these new cases are in Wapello County, three in Keokuk County, one each in Mahaska and Monroe Counties, five in Poweshiek County and nine new cases in Jasper County.

Also, 12 more Iowans have died from coronavirus, bringing the state total to 231.  No information is available on the latest deaths on a county by county basis.

At Thursday morning’s press briefing, Governor Kim Reynolds said the state is in good shape when it comes to availability of hospital beds and ventilators.

“Today we have 79 percent of our ICU beds available and 74 percent of our ventilators that are available for patient care. So since then, since we have accomplished what we were trying to do to make sure that we had the health care resources available, we now have shifted our focus from mitigation of resources to managing and containing virus activity as we begin to open Iowa back up.”

Remember, you can hear Governor Reynolds’ press briefings every weekday morning at 11 on the No Coast Network.