Drive-thru COVID-19 testing in Des Moines to see increase

San Antonio Express-News

Updated

7:54 am CDT, Monday, April 27, 2020

Medical staff administer COVID-19 tests to the public at the Iowa Events Center parking lot in Des Moines on Saturday, April 25, 2020. The tests were done by appointment only. (Bryon Houlgrave /The Des Moines Register via AP ) less
Medical staff administer COVID-19 tests to the public at the Iowa Events Center parking lot in Des Moines on Saturday, April 25, 2020. The tests were done by appointment only. (Bryon Houlgrave /The Des Moines … more

Photo: Bryon Houlgrave, AP

Drive-thru COVID-19 testing in Des Moines to see increase

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A drive-thru testing site for the new coronavirus in Des Moines expects to see nearly twice the number of people on Monday as it tested over the weekend, organizers said.

The site outside of the Wells Fargo Arena drew about 240 residents seeking to be tested over the weekend, television station KCCI reported. Gov. Kim Reynolds said she expected 200 more on Monday.

Lt. Col. Wesley Hall, deputy commander of administration at the Iowa Medical Department, said the process on Monday will be the same as the one over the weekend, despite the planned increase. That means people scheduled for a test should come at the appointed time, Hall said.

“The Iowa National Guard, the Iowa Department of Health will ensure that we can get enough cars and have enough sites open to make sure those people get tested,” he said.

State leaders have said the goal is to eventually test up to 3,000 people per day at different drive-thru sites around Iowa.

As of Saturday, the state’s online coronavirus tracking portal showed 5,475 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iowa and 118 deaths from the disease.

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