COLUMBUS, Ind. — A local health official has confirmed that the fast-spreading COVID-19 Delta variant has been detected in Bartholomew County, raising concerns about the highly contagious strain spreading among the unvaccinated during the holiday weekend.
The variant, which was first detected in India, is believed to be about 50% more transmissible than other strains and has already been reported in more than 80 countries, The Associated Press reported.
Currently, at least 196 cases of the delta variant have been detected in Indiana, up from 39 cases two weeks ago, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
As of Thursday afternoon, there had been more than one case of the Delta variant in Bartholomew County, though the precise number of local cases is unknown as not all viral samples are sent to state health officials for sequencing, said Bartholomew County Health Officer Dr. Brian Niedbalski.
Studies suggest that the vaccines used in the United States offer strong protection against the Delta variant, but an estimated 54% of Bartholomew County residents were not fully vaccinated as of Wednesday, including about 45% of eligible people, state records show.
Vaccination rates in some surrounding counties are lower, including Jennings County, where 70% of the total population was not fully vaccinated as of Wednesday morning.
“These holiday weekends which involve traveling as well as large gatherings continue to increase my level of anxiety,” Niedbalski said. “I’m hoping we might be past large outbreaks, but the presence of variants keeps me uncertain. These were the times last year when we would see surges four to six weeks after holidays or times of increased travel. I do have hope that our vaccination rates will quell any local outbreaks.”
For the complete story, see Saturday’s Republic.
