INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) said 650 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through testing at ISDH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and private laboratories. That brings to 22,503 the total number of Indiana residents known to have the novel coronavirus following corrections to the previous day’s total.
A total of 1,295 Hoosiers have been confirmed to have died of COVID-19, an increase of 31 over the previous day.
Another 119 probable deaths have been reported. Probable deaths are those for which a physician listed COVID-19 as a contributing cause based on X-rays, scans and other clinical symptoms but for which no positive test is on record. Deaths are reported based on when data are received by ISDH and occurred over multiple days.
Bartholomew County is reporting 316 positive cases as of Thursday with 21 deaths, an increase of two deaths from the previous total.
The Bartholomew County Health Department said 2,656 tests have been performed in the county with the 316 positive results and 1,951 negative test results. There are 390 test results pending.
The number of positives of Bartholomew County residents may include testing that was conducted out of county. Conversely, the number of total tests may also include submissions for non-Bartholomew County residents. The counts listed for positives and deaths is only for Bartholomew County residents.
Surrounding counties reported:
- Decatur County: 208 positive cases, 28 deaths.
- Brown County: 25 positive cases, one death.
- Johnson County: 754 positive cases, 77 deaths.
- Jackson County: 219 positive cases, one death.
- Shelby County: 243 positive cases, 15 deaths.
- Jennings County: 89 positive cases, three deaths.
To date, 124,782 tests have been reported to ISDH, up from 120,496 on Wednesday.
Marion County had the most new cases, at 186. Other counties with more than 10 new cases were Allen (26), Cass (29), Elkhart (27), Greene (31), Hamilton (12), Henry (11), Jackson (32), Johnson (11), LaPorte (20), Lake (55), Madison (12), Porter (13), St. Joseph (15) and White (28). The Lake County totals include results from East Chicago and Gary, which have their own health departments.
While the number of cases has increased, intensive care unit and ventilator capacity remain steady. As of Wednesday, 42 percent of ICU beds and about 80 percent of ventilators were available at hospitals throughout the state.
To increase testing, 20 sites around the state, including one in Columbus, are now open through a partnership with OptumServe. Individuals can register online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling (888) 634-1116. Clinics run Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and an additional 30 testing sites will be announced by next week.
For more information, visit coronavirus.in.gov/.
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The state opened a new testing initiative Wednesday at 20 sites around Indiana, including a site in Columbus, to test community residents who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or those who have been exposed. That includes individuals who live with an individual who has tested positive.
Those who wish to be tested must register in advance online or by calling a hotline. To register, visit https://lhi.care/covidtesting or call (888) 634-1123. Those who apply will be screened before being assigned a time and location for testing.
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Because of limited supplies of testing materials, Columbus Regional Hospital officials have said relatively healthy people with a low fever and cough and are not that sick will likely be advised to stay at home and not seek medical attention.
However, people with symptoms such as shortness of breath or risk factors such as being older than 60 and/or having a compromised immune system should seek medical care and let their physician decide if a COVID-19 test will help direct their care.
Anyone with concerns are urged to call the health system’s Triage Resource Call Center, a phone resource line launched by CRH to handle calls from residents with questions and concerns about exposure or symptoms associated with COVID-19. The phone line is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is staffed by registered nurses who will offer screening questions and potentially recommend a course of action for patients.
The phone resource line can be contacted at 812-379-4449.
Visit crh.org/news/2020/03/16/coronavirus-update-what-you-need-to-know for more information.
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For more information about COVID-19, including a list of frequently asked questions, visit in.gov/coronavirus.
Visit the Indiana State Department of Health in.gov/isdh/ or follow us on Twitter at @StateHealthIN and on Facebook at facebook.com/StateHealthIN
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Visit the Community COVID-19 Task Force’s website at covid19communitytaskforce.org for local information.
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For closings and cancellations, visit therepublic.com or The Republic’s Facebook page.
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