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IVH has COVID-19 outbreak

T-R file photo The Iowa City VA and VA Central Iowa Health Care System in Des Moines announced they are sending clinical staff to the Iowa Veterans Home to assist with COVID-19 response.

An outbreak of the COVID-19 virus at the Iowa Veterans Home has not been confirmed as a new variant and more tests have to be performed to determine what the virus strain is.

Reported to the Iowa Department of Public Health on Friday, there are eight confirmed cases and no deaths. The website also reports two new cases within Marshall County in the last seven days.

Marshall County Public Health Nurse Pat Thompson said it is not surprising a new outbreak has occurred since a lot of the population remains unvaccinated. She said that is why she still recommends practicing social distancing.

“Only about 50 percent of us are vaccinated,” Thompson said. “That does bring opportunities for the virus to pop back up. It can happen anywhere.”

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