Des Moines metro COVID-19 risks return to medium

The Des Moines metro returned to a medium-risk category in the CDC’s most recent masking recommendations that were updated Friday.

• The assessment is largely based on the number of new COVID-19 cases, data that pushed Polk, Warren and Dallas counties risks levels up from the prior week.

Why it matters: There's been multiple rollbacks of inside mask mandates across the metro in the last few weeks.

• People with high risk for severe illness or death should remain extra cautious, according to the CDC.

1 good sign to go: A study tracking COVID-19 in metro wastewater showed the lowest recorded virus concentration in the latest March 2 sample since July, during the first two weeks the project began.See the interactive, national map, here.