The COVID-19 Community Task Force’s latest community spread update showed a mix of indicators in substantial, moderate and minimal spread. It also stated that in-person learning will continue for the week of Oct. 26.
The COVID-19 dashboard indicators are intended to guide the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. on deciding whether or not schools can continue to meet for in-person learning, which began Aug. 10.
Whether or not in-person learning continues at BCSC depends on whether certain COVID-19 data indicates that the school system is in a “minimal,” “moderate” or “substantial” spread category. Superintendent Jim Roberts has said in the past that an overall designation of substantial spread would result in a move to eLearning.
Thursday’s update from the task force showed the following:
There are 18 new positive cases, and the number is increasing (as of Oct. 21)
The per capita rate is 14.7 and decreasing (as of Oct. 21)
The percent positive test rate is 10.6 and increasing (as of Oct. 17)
Test turnaround time is 2.7 days and increasing (as of Oct. 21)
Per capita rate and hospitalizations are in the substantial spread category, percent positive test rate is in the moderate spread category, and test turnaround time is in the minimal spread category.
BCSC is also reporting 10 new COVID-19 cases this week. Since school reopened on Aug. 10, BCSC has reported a total of 66 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases.
Superintendent Jim Roberts said that of this number, 44 are students, eight are teachers and 14 are support staff numbers. These totals reflect all positive cases, regardless of whether the individual is attending or working in-person or virtually.
The update from the task force and BCSC came as Columbus Regional Health reported that the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at Columbus Regional Hospital increased over the past week, reaching levels not seen since late August.
On Friday morning, 15 patients were hospitalized at CRH with COVID-19, up from nine the previous Friday, the hospital said.
Two of the patients hospitalized on Friday were listed in critical condition, while the other 13 were listed as stable.
Three of the patients were Bartholomew County residents, while three were from Jackson County, as well as two each from Jennings, Blackford and Jay Counties and one patient each from Decatur, Grant and Wells Counties.
“We are seeing a higher percent of out-of-county patients this time as cases increase,” CRH spokeswoman Kelsey DeClue said.
The increase in hospitalizations at CRH mirrors trends seen across the state as COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise.
As of Thursday, there were 1,548 people in Indiana hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infections, the highest since May 4, when there were 1,574 people hospitalized, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
By comparison, there were 731 people hospitalized with COVID-19 across the state on Sept. 12.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Where to learn more” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
The COVID-19 Community Task Force posts community spread updates every Monday and Thursday at covid19communitytaskforce.org/data/.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
