News 11 May 2020

Another COVID-19 case pops up in Chickasaw County; elderly resident's death in Floyd County blamed on virus

Chickasaw County Public Health officials announced a sixth positive test for COVID-19 on Monday, a day after an elderly Floyd County resident died because of complications from the Coronavirus.
Floyd County Public Health Administrator Gail Arjes confirmed the death of an elderly resident (81 or older) in a press release on Sunday.
“We wish to extend our sympathy to this individual’s family,” Arjes said in the press release. “Floyd County and all of our key partners throughout the county and state continue to work to limit the spread and impact of this virus on our communities.”
A day later, Chickasaw County Public Health and Homecare Services Director Lisa Welter announced a sixth confirmed case of COVID-19. The latest resident to test positive is an adult in the the 18-40 year-old age range.
The five residents who had previously test positive have have recovered and been released from Public Health monitoring, Welter said.
She and her employees also are encouraging residents to be aware of drinking in excess to alleviate stress or to cope with isolation. In addition, excessive use of alcohol can compromise a person’s immune system and possibly put them at greater risk for COVID-19.  
“Alcohol is the most frequently used substance in Iowa. Alcohol use in the past 30 days is higher for Iowans compared to the national rate,” Welter said. “It’s important to be aware of how much alcohol you are consuming, because not all drinks are equal.”
Public Health officials say there are a number of tips to keep in mind for alcohol awareness:
• Know what a standard “drink” is: 12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol content); 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol content); 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits or liquor (40% alcohol content).
• Know the alcohol consumption guidelines for healthy adults: one drink a day for women of all ages and up to two drinks a day for men under age 65.
• Don’t binge drink. Binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more drinks for women, and five or more drinks for men during a single occasion.

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