DES MOINES, Iowa - The state's working to fix an error on its COVID-19 website that lowers the number of new cases reported.
The glitch was first reported by Bleeding Heartland, and then picked up by other major news sources.
The unintentional error in reporting fewer new COVID-19 cases results in the severity of the virus being understated.
The problem is being reported as school administrators are using the state's data to make decisions about bringing kids back for in-person classes.
The mix-up has been occurring because some people who tested negative for the virus earlier during the pandemic have recently tested positive. The state's been recording those new positive results as having happened when their original negative results were reported, which has lowered the current virus numbers.
The state is requiring schools to open with at least 50 percent of classes in person unless the county the school is in reaches a 15 percent positivity rate for COVID-19 over 14 days.
The skewed numbers on the Iowa COVID-19 website is complicating the decisions of school districts
A number of them have objected to the 50 percent requirement and asked for a waiver to start classes completely online, or are choosing to defy the order.
The Des Moines district is now in the process of seeking a waiver while similar requests from several other districts have been denied.