Cerro Gordo County COVID-19 numbers up 70% since start of month, Mason City’s mayor encourages continued social distancing, mask use (VIDEO)

MASON CITY — Mason City’s mayor is encouraging people to continue to use good social distancing practices and wear a face mask when possible.

Bill Schickel says the number of cases in Cerro Gordo County has jumped 70% since the start of the month from 29 to 62 as of Wednesday morning.  “Obviously this means we need to continue to take physical distancing seriously. This means staying six feet apart and wearing a mask when out and about. I know this is a difficult message, but it’s really what we need to do in order to get through this thing together, and we will get through it together.”

Schickel says the uptick in numbers is due to community spread.  “Our health department people say this is community spread, it’s not one location or one organization where this is coming from, so it’s coming from day-to-day contact.”

Schickel says the Cerro Gordo County Department of Public Health is doing a good job of tracking COVID-19 cases. “They have had two personnel on contact tracing. In other words, if you become in touch with someone that had COVID, then that person has to be notified and asked to self-isolate. They’ve actually doubled the number of people, they are up to four people now that are assigned to this contact tracing. The health department is concerned that if we don’t keep our physical distance, then these numbers will increase.”

Schickel made his comments on the weekly Cerro Gordo County COVID-19 press conference as you heard live on AM-1300 KGLO. To watch the press conference in its entirety, you can view it below.