Staff Reports
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) said 581 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 29,274 the total number of Indiana residents known to have the novel coronavirus following corrections to the previous day’s total.
A total of 1,716 Hoosiers have been confirmed to have died of COVID-19, an increase of 38 over the previous day. Another 148 probable deaths have been reported based on clinical diagnoses in patients for whom no positive test is on record, following a correction to the previous day’s total. Deaths are reported based on when data are received by ISDH and occurred over multiple days.
To date, 195,738 tests have been reported to ISDH, up from 189,330 on Tuesday.
Bartholomew County is reporting 448 positive cases with 31 deaths.
The Bartholomew County Health Department said 4,108 tests have been administered in the county with the 448 positive results and 3,002 negative results. The department also said there are 773 tests pending as of Wednesday.
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:
Jackson County: 338 positive cases, one death.
Brown County: 31 positive cases, one death.
Johnson County: 1,029 positive cases, 99 deaths.
Shelby County: 302 positive cases, 20 deaths.
Decatur County: 220 positive cases, 31 deaths.
Jennings County: 121 positive cases, four deaths.
Marion County had the most new cases, at 119. Other counties with more than 10 new cases were Allen (53), Clinton (14), Hamilton (14), Hendricks (10), Howard (20), Johnson (14), Lake (78), Porter (10), St. Joseph (41) and Tippecanoe (18). A complete list of cases by county is posted at www.coronavirus.in.gov.
Intensive care unit and ventilator capacity remain steady. As of today, 39 percent of ICU beds and nearly 81 percent of ventilators were available as of Sunday.
Hoosiers who have symptoms of COVID-19 and those who have been exposed and need a test to return to work are encouraged to visit a state-sponsored testing site, including one in Columbus, for free testing. Individuals without symptoms who are at high risk because they are over age 65, have diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure or another underlying condition, as well as those who are pregnant, live with a high-risk individual or are a member of a minority population that is at greater risk for severe illness, also are encouraged to get tested.
To find testing locations around the state, visit www.coronavirus.in.gov and click on the COVID-19 testing information link.
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The state has opened a new testing initiative 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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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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For closings and cancellations, visit therepublic.com or The Republic’s Facebook page.
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