April 22
GRINNELL – A total of 28 cases of COVID-19 virus have been identified at St. Francis Manor, a long-term care facility in Grinnell.
That’s according to an April 22 release from the office of Shauna Callaway, Director of Public Health in Poweshiek County.
The release says the Iowa Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) and Poweshiek County Public Health have identified the cases. According to IDPH, an outbreak is when three or more cases of COVID-19 are identified among residents of a facility.
The facility has notified residents and their families, and consistent with IDPH guidelines, the affected residents are in isolation.
St. Francis Manor staff are working closely with the IDPH and Poweshiek County Public Health to protect the health of all residents and staff, with additional testing of residents and staff as directed by IDPH.
“Protecting the health and well-being of the residents and staff is of the highest priority,” said Callaway. “We know our older population is at the highest risk for serious COVID-19 illness, so we are monitoring the situation carefully and taking the highest precautions to prevent virus spread.”
As of April 22, there are 37 total cases of COVID-19 in Poweshiek county. The Poweshiek County Health Department continues to work closely with the IDPH and other state and local partners to respond to this ongoing pandemic.