DES MOINES, Iowa - There are signs that show an improvement in Iowa's battle with COVID-19.
There are only four counties with a 14-day positivity rate of more than 15 percent as of Tuesday morning.That number is down from six counties Monday, and as many as 12 counties in recent weeks.The 15 percent positivity rate is the threshold where school districts can ask the state to move to online only classes.
Also, the New York Times case count shows a 45 percent drop in Iowa over the past 14 days.Trend lines in counties with previous outbreaks, such as Johnson, Story, Polk, Dallas, Linn and Blackhawk are sharply down.
Governor Kim Reynolds in late August ordered bars closed in those six counties.That order is set to expire Sunday. Reynolds has set a press conference for Wednesday, where she could discuss whether to extend or cancel the order.
Also, in late August, the White House Coronavirus Task Force released a report showing Iowa with the highest rate in the country for new coronavirus cases.The state has not been singled out nationally in the last week for having a high rate of cases.