7,000+ COVID-19 cases in Iowa as 77 counties open this weekend

As 77 counties are set to loosen restrictions this weekend, Iowa surpassed 7,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.

The state saw 302 new cases and 14 additional deaths, a new high for deaths in one day. The new cases brought Iowa's total number of cases to 7,145 and the total number of deaths in the state to 162.

Locally, Washington County saw two new cases on Thursday, bringing the county total to 141. Henry and Jefferson Counties saw no new cases leaving totals at 32 and six respectively.

During her Thursday news conference, Gov. Kim Reynolds said 89% of the new cases came from the 22 counties where restrictions remain in place through May 15. She added that 198 or around two-thirds of Thursday's new cases came from Black Hawk, Dallas and Polk Counties.

'The virus will continue to be in our communities and unfortunately people will continue to get sick,” Reynolds said on Thursday of the May 1 restart in 77 of Iowa's 99 counties. She added it is not sustainable to keep businesses closed due to the impact on peoples' livelihoods as well as the overall economy.

Restaurants, fitness centers, retail stores and other types of businesses in those counties, including Jefferson County, are allowed to reopen on Friday.

'Iowans in many communities will have an opportunity to shop on Main Street, eat at their favorite local restaurant or attend church if they choose,” Reynolds said. She added that some businesses may not be comfortable with reopening on Friday.

'And that's OK,” she added.

Washington and Henry Counties are of the 22 counties not allowed to loosen restrictions through May 15. The other 20 counties are Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Dallas, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fayette, Iowa, Jasper, Johnson, Linn, Louisa, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Tama and Woodbury Counties.