First COVID-19 cases confirmed in Howard, Mitchell Counties

Howard, Mitchell Counties - As of Monday, April 6, both Howard and Mitchell Counties announced their first confirmed cases of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) last week.

In Mitchell County, the cases were announced on Tuesday (March 31). The two cases were both middle-aged adults – ages 41-60 – who were self-isolating at home. No other information was available.

In Howard County, one individual was announced to have tested positive on Friday (April 3). That individual was also self-isolating at home.

Mitchell County Public Health Director Laura Huisman and Howard County Director Audrey Nosbisch both emphasized that these cases will likely not be the last ones seen in the counties, and they encouraged residents to take preventative actions including:

• Washing hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds each time.

• Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow/upper arm.

• Staying home when ill.

It is believed that about 80% of Iowans infected with COVID-19 will experience a mild or moderate illness, and most of these cases will not need to go to their healthcare provider to be tested for the illness. Sick Iowans are encouraged to stay home and isolate from others in the house until they have had no fever and not needed to use a fever-reducing medicine for at least three full days (72 hours); and cough and/or shortness of breath have improved; and at least seven days have passed since symptoms initially appeared.

Anyone who thinks he or she may need healthcare is asked to call ahead first. Their healthcare provider will assess whether they need to be seen at an office or if they can recover at home. Individuals may also be able to speak to a medical provider from home using technology. 

For up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the IDPH webpage at https://idph .iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus and follow the department on Facebook at @IowaDepartmentOfPublicHealth and on Twitter at @IAPublicHealth.