JOHNSTON — As Iowa sees some of the highest rates of coronavirus cases in the nation, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday that she will wait to determine whether her move to close bars in six counties slows the virus’ spread before considering additional steps.

Reynolds said the soaring number of confirmed virus cases is largely due to infections among young people, especially those in the college towns of Iowa City and Ames. That trend prompted her last week to order the closure of bars in Johnson, Story and Black Hawk counties — home to the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa — as well as Dallas, Linn and Polk counties.

Now, it’s best to wait to see if those moves will cause numbers to drop, Reynolds said.

“If they don’t, then we’ll take additional steps,” she said.

Reynolds said she would make $10,000 grants available to the bars, taverns breweries, wineries and other businesses that sell alcohol in those counties to help them get through another shutdown. The money comes from federal funding and is expected to cost $5 million.

Reynolds also said she supported Iowa State’s decision to allow 25,000 fans into a Sept. 12 football game, even as Ames sees some of the country’s highest rates of coronavirus infections. However, Iowa State announced a short time later that it had changed its plans and wouldn’t allow fans to attend. The game will be televised.

“Weighing how our campus community responds to the recent surge in positive COVID cases will be a significant factor as to whether we can have fans at future games,” Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said in a statement. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and make a decision regarding fans for the Oklahoma game (Oct. 3) at a later date.”

State data indicated 740 new confirmed coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours as of Wednesday morning, pushing the state past 66,000 known positive cases. Four additional deaths increased the fatality total to 1,125.

The White House Coronavirus Task Force report from Sunday said Iowa had the highest rate of new cases per 100,000 population, at 100, and the state has the fifth-highest positivity rate in the country, which is the percentage of those tested getting positive results. The state has a 14-day average positivity rate of 11%. The task force recommended closing bars in 61 counties, limiting gatherings to 10 or less in 28 counties, requiring masks statewide and testing all college students.

Reynolds was asked Wednesday why she hasn’t enacted all the recommendations.

“I have done a lot of them, but we have data that we’re looking at on a daily basis. I still believe it’s up to the governors in the various states to make those decisions,” she said.

Reynolds has repeatedly said she will not impose mask requirements, and she has closed bars in only six of the state’s 99 counties. She indicated plans to help colleges and universities test students.

Des Moines, Iowa City and Ames are among the local jurisdictions to initiate their own mask mandates. Reynolds has said those orders are unenforceable because she has not authorized such measures.

The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended states not relax mitigation measures until their positivity rate is 5% or less. Reynolds began relaxing the state restrictions in early May when the state’s overall positivity rate was still around 16%, state data shows. She gradually relaxed closures throughout May and on May 26 she reopened bars, restaurants and malls with some limitations on size of crowds when the rate was still 9%.

Since June, Iowa has seen a significant increase is virus activity and newly hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Continuing hospitalizations and people treated in intensive care also are increasing. Several counties outside those with universities are seeing increasing spread with county health officials saying it’s due to people gathering in large groups without distancing or masks.