JASPER COUNTY, IA (IRN) – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate says there were errors in unofficial election results in one Jasper County precinct. Iowa’s tight race for U.S. House District 2 had shown Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks ahead of Democrat Rita Hart by just 282 votes. The Secretary of State’s website now shows Miller-Meeks’ total has gone down by 328 votes, and Hart’s has increased by 166. The total now stands at 196,603 for Hart and 196,441 for Miller-Meeks, a difference of 162 votes. Hart is now the apparent winner, but there will be a recount.

IOWA (IRN) – The number of Iowans hospitalized with COVID-19 topped 900 for the first time last night, pushing the state to another record-high for hospitalizations. There have been 14 additional deaths for a total of 1,815. Of those who’ve died, 879 were residents of long term care facilities. There are currently 87 outbreaks at long term care facilities in Iowa affecting 2,709 residents.

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Medical leaders from the two largest hospitals in the Des Moines metro pleaded with Iowans to do their part to bring the outbreak under control. They say their hospital staffs are in rough shape after eight months of treating COVID-19 patients and they fear some very dark days are ahead with the huge increase of positive cases. Dr. Rossana Rosa, with UnityPoint, says “there will be more deaths, and there will be more suffering from a disease that remains preventable.”

DES MOINES, IA (IRN) – Gov. Kim Reynolds on Thursday hosted her first news conference dedicated to Iowa’s coronavirus response in nearly a month. Reynolds pleaded with Iowans to take additional steps to slow the spread of the virus but declined to enact any further mitigation efforts as new cases and hospitalizations continue to spike.

AMES, IA (IRN) – Iowa State University athletic officials said Thursday that a “very limited” number of spectators will be allowed to attend men’s and women’s basketball games at Hilton Coliseum due to coronavirus concerns. Seating capacity will be limited to 1,373 fans per game, less than 10% of Hilton’s seating capacity.

ARLINGTON, IA (IRN) – Despite the constant calls from health leaders and signs at just about every store to wear a mask, one business in Arlington is discouraging mask wearing. KCRG-TV reports 6 Corners Gas, the only gas station in the Fayette County town, has a sign in the front window that reads “No masks required, please remove before entering. Thank you.”