IOWA, USA - Iowa is one of six states that did not take part in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study on the affects of COVID-19 on meat processing plants.
The study conducted in April and May found that 87 percent of coronavirus cases in the plants were in racial or ethnic minorities. It said there's been a disproportionate burden of illness and death among minority groups.
Iowa has been one of the country's hot spots for COVID-19 outbreaks a meat processing plants. The state is the largest pork producer in the country.
Democratic State Representative Ras Smith of Waterloo has called the study's results and Iowa failure to participate in it "a systemic issue that impact us all."
The CDC study was released Tuesday. Read the full report here.