COVID-19 Cases Expected to Spike in North Iowa

Could 4th of July festivities have spread coronavirus?

That's what public health is working to find out

Gordo has 266.

// over the last three weeks, coronavirus cases in cerro gordo county have quadrupled ?*- and just today thirty more cases have been added to the total.

Health officials are worried cases could spike even more in about a week.

Kimt news 3's nick kruszalnicki is looking into why.

He joins us live in mason city.

Nick?

Katie ?

"* there were lots of folks out and about on fourth of july weekend ?

"* a perfect time for covid?

"*19 to spread.

And with a two week incubation period, that means cases could start spiking even more next week.

"so i would definitely say we are experiencing a surge in cases in our community."

On top of that ?

"* c?

"*g public health is expecting the spike to grow even more ?

"* when fourth of july exposures turn into full blown cases.

"we have a few more days to see cases that we know are just going to continue to climb unfortunately.

" emily dunbar with c?

"*g public health says they are ready.

"we are training additional internal staff for contact tracing and case investigation.

We're pulling in other volunteers to help support our staff, because we can't do it alone, because of the influx of cases.

We're working long nights and weekends."

Summer time fun is hard to pass up and dunbar says you can indulge in it ?

"* just make sue to give yourself a little bit of room away from everyone else.

"insuring you have plenty of space between you and others.

I'll say it again, broken record, social distancing plays a huge part because we know the virus is caused by droplets."

Bradley ringhofer thinks an increase in testing is leading to an increase in cases.

He feels like the public is taking the coronavirus seriously.

"with things that i've done there's more people being cautious.

I do feel like iowa is taking care of each other.

Yeah, we're seeing more increases but i dunbar also told me ?

"* new research over the past few months confirms that masks are the best way to keep covid?

"*19 from spreading.

Live in mason city, nick kruszalnicki, kimt news 3.

Thanks nick.

Cerro gordo county is now up to 266 confirmed cases