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IDPH reports 21 new COVID-19 cases in Iowa The Iowa Department of Public Health has reported 21 additional positive cases of Iowans with COVID-19. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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NATION. WE’LL HEAR FROM HIM IN A FEW MINUTES. BUT GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SAYS IOWA FIRST, IS TRYING TO GET MORE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT TO DEAL WITH COVID-19. KCCI’S CHRIS GOTHNER IS LIVE IN DES MOINES TONIGHT WITH THE LATEST FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ON WHAT’S BEING DONE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. CHRIS: IOWA’S REALLY IN THE SAME BOAT AS EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS INSTANCE. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID HE’S CONFIDENT SOME UNORTHODOX MANUFACTURING OPTIONS MAY HELP STATES GET WHAT THEY NEED. GOVERNOR REYNOLDS WAS JOINED, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A FEW DAYS, BY STATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST DR. CAITLIN PEDATI, DURING WEDNESDAY’S COVID-19 UPDATE. IT CAME JUST MINUTES AFTER NEWS BROKE THAT ANOTHER NEIGHBORING STATE, MINNESOTA, IS ORDERING ITS RESIDENTS TO STAY HOME. >> WE ARE ASKING FOR TWO WEEKS AND WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING . CHRIS BUT GOVERNOR REYNOLDS : REMAINS FIRM ON HOLDING OFF FOR NOW. >> WE ARE SEEING SOME STATES ISSUE SHELTER-IN-PLACE OR STATE HOME ORDERS, WHY NOT IOWA? IN FACT, MANY OF THE STEPS WE HAVE TAKEN ARE EQUIVALENT TO THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER’S WE ARE SEEING SEVERAL OF THESE STATES, LIKE CLOSING SCHOOLS AND SOME BUSINESSES. CHRIS IOWA’S NOW JOINING OTHER : STATES IN SAYING HOW MANY VENTILATORS IT HAS, AFTER THE DPH INITIALLY CLAIMED THE NUMBERS WERE CONFIDENTIAL. IOWA HAS 280 AVAILABLE VENTILATORS, WITH PLANS TO ORDER MORE. THE STATE HAS NEARLY 1300 TESTS AVAILABLE AT THE STATE HYGIENIC LAB NOW. THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE THE NUMBER OF TESTS AT PRIVATE FACILITIES. THE NATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN FOR EQUIPMENT IS TIGHT. >> GENERAL MOTORS IS INVOLVED, FORD’S INVOLVED, 3M’S INVOLVED, OTHERS ARE INVOLVED AND WE’RE ALL WORKING VERY HARD TO PRODUCE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS. CHRIS GOVERNOR REYNOLDS SAID : GETTING PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT IS A TOP PRIORITY RIGHT NOW. >> WE’RE WORKING ON THAT DAILY. CHRIS BUT OFFICIALS HAVEN’T YET : SAID JUST HOW MUCH THEY’VE ORDERED. BACK TO ANY POTENTIAL SHUTDOWN ORDER. YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE METRICS THAT THE STATE SAYS WOULD DETERMINE WHETHER ACTION’S NEEDED. BUT OFFICIALS HAVEN’T ELABORATED ON WHETHER WE’RE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO MEETING THE THRESHOLD. WE WILL KEEP ON THAT,