East Central Iowa News

Hardin County Supervisors have approved an emergency disaster declaration after holding a special meeting in effort to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

Thomas Craighton, the county's emergency management coordinator, pushed hard for the move, saying that the declaration will allow the Hardin County Emergency Operations Department to provide additional support for residents as confirmed cases of the coronavirus are drastically rising throughout the state.

"I've never seen such a flurry of activity and how it's changing by the hour," Craighton told KIFG following the meeting. "We were told during Saturday night's press conference by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds that schools would remain open. That changed last night. We got an email that the governor would put out a press release and then I received a call at home that the governor was on the television stating the schools should close for the next four weeks. That was less than 24 hours between those decisions."

The number of confirmed cases in the State of Iowa skyrocketed to 298 as of March 28 – nearly quadrupling in just two days. There have also been three deaths reported after the first being announced last week.

Reynolds declared a state public health emergency March 24, closing down bars, theaters and fitness centers and prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people, following in the path of the growing number of statewide shutdowns across the nation.

It was announced earlier this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that Iowa would receive $6.3 million for COVID-19 response efforts with additional federal help expected to follow in the coming weeks.