Coronavirus is spreading across the Midwest, and health officials are scrambling to stem the disease -- or prepare for a potential epidemic. Side Effects will keep you updated on this evolving story and share reports from partner stations across the Midwest -- including news of a school closing in Indiana and the first case in Missouri.
Here's the latest from the region:
Indiana:
- There are four reported cases of COVID-19 in Indiana.
- A student has tested positive for the virus, prompting an elementary school to close for two weeks.
- Two Hoosiers infected with coronavirus attended a BioGen conference in Boston, Mass.
Ohio:
- Ohio now has the ability to conduct tests for COVID-19, but due to limited resources the state has created a protocol to determine who to prioritize for testing.
- Ohio does not have a confirmed case yet, but local hospitals are preparing for the virus.
READ MORE: What Do You Need To Know About Coronavirus? We’ve Got Answers.
Missouri:
- A St. Louis County woman who was studying in Italy is now presumed to be the state’s first confirmed case of COVID-19.
- This woman’s family violated quarantine by attending a school dance.
Iowa:
- Iowa has seen three presumptive cases of COVID-19.
- Iowans who have recently traveled to certain countries where the novel coronavirus is spreading are being asked to self-isolate for two weeks.
Illinois
- There have been seven reported cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, including the first person-to-person transmission of the disease.
Check back to Side Effects for frequent round-ups of coronavirus news from the Midwest.
We also want to help you sort fact from fiction when it comes to coronavirus. Email health@wfyi.org or text “health” to 73224 with your questions, and we will search for the answers.
This is a rapidly evolving story, and we are working hard to bring you the most up-to-date information. However, we recommend checking the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most recent numbers of COVID-19 cases.
