Iowa City school district puts immediate ban on sports spectators amid coronavirus surge

IOWA CITY, Ia. — In response to the surging number of coronavirus cases in Johnson County, the Iowa City School Community School District announced Thursday that it will not allow spectators at any athletic events, effective immediately. 

The decision comes as the The Iowa Department of Education has granted the Iowa City school district permission to move to an online format, after the district made a second request to do so because of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in Johnson County.   

“Due to the significant increase in COVID-19 positivity rates in our community and the Governor's announcement today restricting social gatherings in Johnson County, the District is compelled to further limit any mass gatherings associated with District activities and events," the release read. “As such, until further notice, the District is prohibiting all spectators at District-sponsored activities and athletic events held on district campuses."

Upcoming district games that will be affected: City High’s Thursday volleyball games against Johnston and Marion, as well as two Friday night football games. Iowa City Liberty is set to host Iowa City West, and City will host Davenport Central. 

Earlier Thursday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all bars, breweries and nightclubs to close in Polk, Linn, Johnson, Story, Dallas and Black Hawk counties to combat spiking coronavirus cases. The order is effective starting Thursday at 5 p.m. and lasts until Sept. 20. It also bans restaurants from selling alcohol after 10 p.m. during the same three-week period.

State data showed a new high Thursday morning in the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Johnson County and across the state in a single day.

At 10 a.m. Thursday, Iowa was reporting an additional 1,475 cases of COVID-19 and 18 additional COVID-19-related deaths — including two in Johnson County — since the state's tally at 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to coronavirus.Iowa.gov. The state was reporting 334 new cases in Johnson County.

Dargan Southard covers Iowa and UNI athletics, recruiting and preps for the Des Moines Register, HawkCentral.com and the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.