COVID-19 deaths in Floyd County jump to 10 in fewer than two weeks

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

For almost five months, from the time the first COVID-19-related death was reported in Floyd County on May 2, until Sept. 30, there had been three deaths in the county that were attributed to the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Since the first of this month, less than two weeks, the number of deaths has more than tripled. The 10th COVID-19 related death in Floyd County was noted on the state’s COVID-19 data website on Monday.

There were two deaths reported on Oct. 1, 1 death on Oct. 5, two more on Oct. 6, and the ninth on Oct. 8.

Neither the state nor the Floyd County Public Health Department now identify the location or nature of the death, nor the age category of the victim. The first two victims in Floyd County were both individuals age 81 or older. The second was a person age 41-60, according to information that was then being released.

Despite the increase in the number of fatalities, the number of new cases of COVID-19 in the county has been on a downward trend since the end of September when the number of new cases per day had set a county record.

The number of new cases had peaked at 93 cases over a two-week period on Sept. 23, or an average of almost seven new cases per day. Since then, the two-week average of new cases has fallen to fewer than three per day as of Monday. The total number of positive cases identified in the county since the beginning of the pandemic was 393.

Many of those new cases over the last month have come from an outbreak identified by the state at the Nora Springs Care Center, where a total of 38 residents and staff had been infected. As of Monday, 19 of those persons were listed as recovered. The state website figures include staff and residents.

In a statement issued by the care center last week, Administrator Kersten Fisher said that testing had been scheduled during the week as required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

As of last Monday, Oct. 5, the care facility reported that “13 residents and 7 staff members have recovered from the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.”

Fisher said, “Although it is easy to get overwhelmed, staff and residents are staying upbeat and positive. Everyone is working very hard to keep everyone safe and I’m proud to be a part of this team and Nora Springs family.”

Last week’s statement from the Nora Springs Care Center said, “Staff will continue to be screened prior to the beginning and end of each shift, and residents and tenants are closely monitored throughout the day and night. All residents and staff will continue with the required testing frequency and we will notify staff, residents, tenants, and family members of ongoing developments.”