MUSCATINE, IOWA– The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Muscatine County Public Health identified six cases with several pending tests of COVID-19 in a long-term care facility. The cases include both staff and residents at Wilton Retirement Community. According to IDPH, an outbreak consists of three or more cases of COVID-19 identified among residents of a facility.

The facility notified residents and their families, and consistent with IDPH guidelines, placed the affected residents in isolation. Wilton Retirement Community staff continue working closely with IDPH and Muscatine County Public Health to protect the health of their residents and staff, with additional testing of residents and staff taking place as directed by IDPH.

“Protecting the health and well-being of the residents and staff is of the highest priority,” said Muscatine County Public Health Director Christy Roby Williams. “We know our older population is at the highest risk for serious COVID-19 illness, so we are monitoring the situation carefully and taking the highest precautions to prevent virus spread.”

As of April 15 Muscatine County has 133 total cases of COVID-19,
11 hospitalizations, two deaths and 42 recoveries. The Muscatine County Health Department continues to work closely with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), and other state and local partners to respond to this ongoing pandemic.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19, including an interactive map with county, regional and long-term care outbreak information, visit https://idph.iowa.gov/EmergingHealth-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus.