O'Brien County coronavirus cases at 17

Though the number of confirmed cases remains low, O'Brien County health officials are encouraging the public to stay the course in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

As of Wednesday morning, O'Brien County had 17 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Neighboring Sioux County had 100 cases while Osceola County had 23, Clay County had nine and Cherokee County had six. The extreme outlier in northwest Iowa remains Woodbury County, which had nearly 2,000 confirmed cases as of Wednesday. The county is home to Sioux City and has experienced a spike in infections due to an outbreak at nearby Tyson Fresh Meats beef plant in Dakota City, Neb.

Judy Nieuwenhuis, nurse administrator of O'Brien County Public Health, said the agency is remaining alert despite the low number of local cases.

"I can't say if we will or won't [see a spike in infections], but we're preparing in case we do," she said.

Nieuwenhuis said the public health department has been staying updated with CDC recommendations as well as information distributed by the governor's office. She encouraged people to wear masks in public when they can't maintain a six-foot distance from others and urged people to continue practicing social distancing.

Locally, she has observed a mixed bag of those who are following suggestions and those who aren't.

"You see a lot of people that are wearing the mask and doing social distancing, but then there are others that go about their business and do what they feel like," she said.

Nieuwehuis said she's been working with O'Brien County Emergency Management director Jared Johnson to prepare for a potential spike in infections. With summer looming and certain businesses re-opening, she believed the possibility exists for infection rates to climb at the local level.

"It's hard to say. If people keep washing your hands and keep social distancing, then we might be OK," she said. "Eight percent of people experience mild symptoms or no symptoms. They could be out there thinking they're OK and not hurting anyone, but they could be spreading the virus. It's all about how your immune system and body handles it."

Though the overall number of infections may worry some, recovery figures are also important to note. According to state data, nine people in O'Brien County had recovered from their illness and 15 had recovered in Sioux County. Osceola County reported 12 recoveries, Clay County had six and Cherokee County tallied three.

Nieuwenhuis said COVID-19 infection numbers will continue to stay low only if people adhere to prevention guidelines.

"Take care of yourselves," she said. "At this point, I think most of us have been exposed to it in some manner."