Gazette Daily News Briefing, May 11

Today's weather is starting with a frost, but otherwise the day will be mostly sunny, with a high near 55. Tonight, cloudy, with a low around 36.

The rest of this week is going to see a couple more days of frost followed by rain and thunderstorms which will keep up into next week.

Over the weekend, the number of coronavirus cases in Iowa rose to 11,959 total cases and is now in 93 of Iowa's 99 counties. The number of statewide deaths attributed to coronavirus has risen to 265.

Some good news, Iowa saw its first back to back decrease in hospitalizations over the weekend. On Saturday, 402 people were hospitalized with the coronavirus, down five from the previous day, and down 15 from its current peak of 417 on Thursday.

Governor Kim Reynolds is considering self isolation after encountering Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary Katie Miller during a White house visit last Wednesday. Miller has since tested positive for coronavirus Dr. Caitlin Pedati, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, already has decided to self-isolate.

With Iowa opening back up, some Iowans are turning to camping and fishing and maintaining social distancing as they do it. In fact, Registered nurse Donald Summers has turned to camping at the Palisades-Kepler State Park in Mount Vernon as a way to continue social isolation from his own family. Summers started this isolation on March 29 due to the nature of his work at the Meth-Wick senior living facility in Cedar Rapids.

You can find all this and the rest of our coronavirus coverage at our dedicated coronavirus page, TheGazette.com/coronavirus

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