First case confirmed

Jay County has its first confirmed case of COVID-19.

Jay County Health Department on Tuesday evening announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus in the county.

“The person at this point is isolated at home,” said health department administrator and environmentalist Heath Butz in an interview just before 8 p.m. Tuesday. “We’re going to follow up with all the close contacts of the individual to make sure that they are taken care of as far as being quarantined, those that need to.”

Indiana State Department of Health has been notified of the positive test. As of midnight Monday, Jay County was one of just 11 counties in the state that had not recorded a positive case of COVID-19.

Butz could not give additional information about the patient or when the test occurred.

“The Jay County Health Department, in consultation with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) and the local medical community, has confirmed the first case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in a county resident,” the health department’s press release said. “The patient is presently self-isolating at home. No additional information about the patient will be released due to privacy laws.”

When a patient tests positive for COVID-19, they are required to be quarantined. They will remain isolated for seven days from the onset of symptoms or three days after their temperature is less than 100.4 without fever-reducing medication and other symptoms are improving, whichever is longer, Butz said.

The health department is in the process of notifying those who may have been in contact with the patient who tested positive for COVID-19, working with health care providers and the patient involved in order to do so. The state department of health will also help make sure Jay County Health Department reaches all of those it needs to contact.



“They’ll help guide us in that process, especially on our first case,” said Butz. “Since there’s already been a lot of cases, there’s pretty good guidance from the state as far as the process we take. We’re working with them to get the process done as quickly and as thoroughly as possible.”

IU Health Jay announced this morning it will host a vigil 6:45 p.m. Thursday to pray for for all healthcare workers. Those interested in participating should begin arriving at 6:30 p.m. and park in the front, Jay Family Practice or Jay Family Medicine parking lots. (Police will be on hand to direct traffic.)

Participants will stay in their car and tune in to the prayer, led by Fellowship Baptist Church pastor Hugh Kelly on WPGW radio.

“The goal is to fill the parking lot with cars of people to pray and show support of the healthcare workers,” IU Health Jay said in a press release. “Please refrain from honking or making loud noises to show respect during this time, instead turn on your blinkers to show support and unison in prayer.”

Though Jay and Blackford counties had not posted a positive test result as of midnight Monday, coronavirus had been confirmed in the region for several weeks.

Adams County announced its first confirmed case March 9. At the time, there were fewer than 10 confirmed cases statewide.

“It was just a matter of time until we got a case here,” said Butz.

Numbers have steadily climbed since then, with the state this morning reporting its largest single-day jump in cases. The total is now 2,565, up by 406 from Tuesday. (Tuesday’s report was the previous largest increase of 373.)

Indiana also saw its largest increase in deaths, with 16 added in this morning’s report. That brings the total to 65.

Case totals in counties adjacent to Jay were as follows: Delaware (22), Darke (13), Randolph (three), Wells (two), Mercer (two) and Adams (one). Blackford is now one of just nine counties statewide, and the only one in the northeast quadrant of the state, without a confirmed case. Marion County (Indianapolis) accounts for 43.5 percent of the state’s cases with a total of 1,117.

Health officials continue to indicate the actual numbers are likely much higher because testing for COVID-19 is still limited.

Though he could not say who notified the health department in this particular case, Butz said news can come from the health care provider involved, the state or a review of lab results. He said the goal is that the health care provider notify the health department as soon as possible after a test is confirmed.

The health department does not have tally of how many county residents have been tested for coronavirus, he added.

IU Health continues to offer initial screenings via its Virtual Clinic app, which is also available at iuhealthvideovisit.org. Screening is the first step in the evaluation process for those who may need to be tested.



COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Those who show symptoms should contact their healthcare provider and should stay in isolation.

“People need to make sure if they are sick, they’re having symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19, that they need to stay home, get healthy before they return to work or even go out in public and interact with people,” said Butz.

The virus can be spread through:

•Respiratory droplets released into the air by coughing and sneezing

•Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands

•Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes before washing your hands

To protect themselves, Butz recommended that Jay County residents follow Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s stay-at-home order.

“They should continue to be social distancing, hand hygiene, as far as not touching your face, the things that they should already be doing they should continue,” he said, “and know that even though this is one case here that’s positive that more than likely there’s more than that that are actually out there.

“We can all flatten the curve and get through this without inundating our healthcare system.”