County posts a new record

Cases of COVID-19 have been spiking nationwide. Jay County posted a new high number Tuesday.

Indiana State Department of Health’s report showed 37 new positive tests for coronavirus were reported Monday in Jay County. That’s highest single-day total locally and pushed the county past the 600-case mark.

“We’ve got a lot of spread going on,” said Heath Butz of Jay County Health Department. “We hit a new high today and we’ve been hitting consistently high numbers all month.”

Jay County’s previous high for new cases in a single day was 30 on Oct. 28. New cases have been in double digits 12 of the last 13 days.

The county’s 200th case of coronavirus was reported Oct. 1. It took 20 days to go from 200 to 300; nine days to go from 300 to 400; six days to go from 400 to 500; and four days to go from 500 to 600.

There were 189 cases in the first nine days of November, an average of 21 per day. October’s total for the entire month was 221, an average of 7.1 per day.

Butz noted there has not been a recent outbreak at a long-term care facility nor has there been a single event identified as being responsible for a large number of new cases.

“This is community spread,” said Butz. “This is from gatherings, small events. You’ve got parties and weddings and funerals where they’re not adhering to those measures that are outlined in Stage 5 guidance or (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidance.”

The local trend mirrored what Indiana is seeing statewide as the state department of health reported 4,000 new cases and 63 deaths Tuesday.

The 4,879 new infections were Indiana's second-highest daily count and marked the sixth straight day the state reported more than 4,000 new cases.

Indiana's hospitalizations were also at an all-time high, setting a record for the eighth straight day with 2,336 patients admitted. Of those hospitalized, 599 were in intensive care — the most since April 25.

Potential strain on hospitals locally is a point of concern.

“Right now, if we keep this pace, we’re going to start putting a lot of pressure on our hospitals and our health care providers,” Butz said.

He added that the increased spread of coronavirus puts long-term care facilities at higher risk for outbreaks and makes infection more likely for those who are at a high risk for more severe forms of the illness. It is also a concern for schools, which could be forced to shift from in-person learning if staffing levels cannot be maintained.

Another concern, Butz noted, is that the already spiking rate of new cases could be exacerbated because of holiday gatherings as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach.

The CDC on Monday released new guidance for how to safely celebrate the holiday season. It suggests lower-risk options such as limiting celebrations to those who live in the same household, having a virtual gathering and watching sporting events and parades from home. Details are available at bit.ly/CDCholidays.

In addition to that holiday-specific information, the CDC continues to recommend frequent hand washing, social distancing, wearing a mask, covering coughs and sneezes, cleaning and disinfecting, and monitoring for symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath.

“It’s the same stuff we’ve been preaching all along that’s going to get us through this and help control these numbers,” said Butz.

Jay County remains second-lowest in the region for total cases, with only Blackford County (347) having fewer. But its rate of 2,980 cases per 100,000 residents is higher than Adams, Wells and Blackford counties.

Coronavirus is mainly spread through respiratory droplets or small particles from an infected person coughing, sneezing, talking or breathing. The CDC reports that it may be possible those particles and droplets remain suspended in the air for an unknown period of time and travel beyond 6 feet, especially indoors.

The virus causes a range of symptoms, which can appear two to 14 days after exposure. Older adults and those with pre-existing health problems are susceptible to more severe illnesses.