Des Moines bans large public events because of virus

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines officials have banned gatherings of more than 250 people on public property and cancelled the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade because of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.

Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie announced those moves Sunday when he declared a state of emergency in the city. 

Iowa now has 22 cases of COVID-19 in the state, including one case each in Polk and Dallas counties that isn’t related to travel. Those cases in the Des Moines suburbs indicates the virus is becoming more common in Iowa because officials can’t trace the origin of it.