Pence to visit Des Moines amid increase in COVID-19 cases

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence has called Iowa’s response to the coronavirus pandemic “a success story” but he may find a less rosy reality when he arrives Friday.

Pence is expected to visit the Des Moines metropolitan area, where a recent rise in confirmed infections has alarmed the mayor and medical officials. Even the federal coronavirus task force Pence leads has expressed concern.

Pence is scheduled to meet faith leaders to encourage them to resume in-person church services in a responsible fashion, though many have said they’ll refrain for now to stop the virus's spread. He's also expected to discuss food supply with grocery and agriculture leaders, which has been stressed by outbreaks at meatpacking plants that have slowed production.

More than 100 patients with COVID-19 are hospitalized in Polk County, which includes Des Moines, and the president of a major hospital system told his staff Tuesday that Iowa’s estimated rate of transmission for the virus remains among the highest in the nation.

“Our community spread of the virus remains high," said Karl Keeler, of MercyOne Central Iowa. "We have a lot of work to do.”

Pence will be about 30 miles from a Tyson Foods pork plant in Perry where 730 employees — nearly 60% of its workforce — have tested positive for the coronavirus. Jorge Soto, 23, said his aunt is one of them and has been hospitalized this week.

“What’s a little heartbreaking is I can’t hold a conversation with her. After every fifth word she has shortness of breath and starts coughing,” Soto said of the longtime plant worker who is in her 50s and has two children.

Rossanna Rosa, a Des Moines infectious disease doctor, called the situation at the Perry plant “a scandal” that has sickened many...