'Iowa's recovery is underway;' Gov. Reynolds announces more businesses to reopen Friday

Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) announces additional businesses and organizations allowed to reopen...
Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) announces additional businesses and organizations allowed to reopen Friday.(KWQC)
Published: May. 20, 2020 at 10:49 AM CDT
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Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds (R) announced Wednesday that effective Friday, movie theaters, zoos, aquariums, museums, and wedding reception venues may reopen with the appropriate guidelines from the Iowa Department of Public Health in place.

Casinos are not included in this announcement.

Reynolds also announced pools may reopen for laps and swimming lessons only.

On May 28, bars and other establishments serving alcohol may reopen for indoor and outdoor seating at 50 percent capacity.

"Iowa's recovery is underway," Reynolds said prior to the announcement.

The governor also announced that on June 1, schools will be allowed to reopen for school-sponsored activities and learning. This includes high school sports like baseball and softball. In the meantime, Reynolds says she is working with youth sports organizations to determine how to safely reopen for the summer season.

The governor cited expanded testing for COVID-19 and the ramped-up antibody testing as reasons Iowa is able to continue the reopening process.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 237 new cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to its

Wednesday, as of 10:30 a.m. There were also an additional 14 deaths.

The site is now being updated in real-time, allowing Iowans to check the total number of cases throughout the day. By late Wednesday morning, IDPH reported a total of 15,533 cases statewide and a total of 381 deaths.

The site also shows 381 Iowans are currently hospitalized and 8,211 are recovering. The total number of people tested now stands at 110,211.

Locally:

• Scott, 312 confirmed cases (4,783 tested); eight deaths; 277 recovered.

• Muscatine, 535 confirmed cases (2,646 tested); 34 deaths; 329 recovered.

• Louisa, 317 confirmed cases (967 tested); five deaths; 203 recovered.

• Des Moines, 42 confirmed cases (678 tested); one death; 25 recovered.

• Henry, 49 confirmed cases (533 tested); one death; 41 recovered.

• Lee, 20 confirmed cases (464 tested); no deaths; 17 recovered.

• Jackson, eight confirmed cases (399 tested); no deaths; seven recovered.

• Clinton, 61 confirmed cases (1,164 tested); one death; 51 recovered.

• Cedar, 41 confirmed cases (641 tested); one death; 40 recovered.