August 19, 2021 at 2:13 a.m.
Up to orange
County's new cases in last seven days are most since December
Up to orange
Jay County’s COVID-19 numbers are continuing to climb.
In Wednesday’s update of county metrics from Indiana State Department of Health, the county moved to “orange” (high risk for the spread of coronavirus).
The state department of health uses two metrics — cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents and seven-day positivity rate — to determine risk level. Jay County’s numbers have gone up significantly in both categories over the last three weeks.
Its cases per 100,000 residents have climbed from 44 two weeks ago to 102 last week to 298 this week.
Its 7-day positivity rate went from 2.21% two weeks ago to 7.07% last week to 11.63% this week.
After Jay County spent 10 consecutive weeks at the state’s lowest risk level — blue (low risk) — for spread of coronavirus, it moved up to “yellow” (moderate risk) in last week’s update and is now orange. (Weekly Wednesday updates from the state department of health are based on Sunday’s numbers.) Based on the county’s numbers through Tuesday — 366 cases per 100,000 and a 16.4% positivity rate — it would move into the “red” (severe risk) category.
The 75 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Jay County between Aug. 11 and 17 are the most for any seven-day period since Dec. 13 through 19. Its 113 cases in August thus far are already more than in any month since January (215). The county is now on pace to quadruple the number of cases it had last August.
The increase in cases locally mirrored the trend in Indiana and nationwide. In Wednesday’s update, 73 of the state’s 92 counties were rated orange or red. Only 19, including Blackford, Randolph and Delaware counties, were rated yellow. None were rated blue.
The state’s seven-day average case total is 2,686 after having dropped below 200 in June.
The seven-day average at this time last year was about 900. (The average peaked at about 6,900 in November.)
There were 1,616 Hoosiers hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, up from about 400 at the beginning of the summer.
The statewide patient count prompted the Indiana Hospital Association to issue a warning and call for those who aren't yet vaccinated to do so immediately. The association reported that COVID-19 hospitalizations are up nearly 300% since July 4.
“Hoosiers should feel confident that Indiana’s hospitals are managing through the current situation by collaborating with one another and the state of Indiana," Brian Tabor, the association's president, said in a statement. “However, should the current trends continue, everyone in need of health care could be impacted.”
State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said Wednesday that unvaccinated people make up more than 97% of COVID-related hospital admissions in Indiana.
Vaccination clinics in Jay County are available at Jay County Health Department, CVS in both Portland and Dunkirk, and Walgreens in Portland.
As of Tuesday, 6,332 individuals in Jay County — about 37.2% of those eligible — have been fully vaccinated. About 3.03 million Hoosiers have been fully vaccinated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday announced plans to administer coronavirus vaccine booster shots eight months after a patient received their initial dose.
“Our plan is to protect the American people, to stay ahead of this virus,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said.
Indiana is not currently under any coronavirus-related restrictions, though the state remains under a health emergency through at least Aug. 31. (The health emergency has been in effect since March 2020.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing a mask indoors for those who are in an area of “substantial or high transmission,” which now includes Jay County.
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 and travel beyond 6 feet, especially indoors. The virus causes a range of symptoms, including fever and shortness of breath, which can appear two to 14 days after exposure.
In Wednesday’s update of county metrics from Indiana State Department of Health, the county moved to “orange” (high risk for the spread of coronavirus).
The state department of health uses two metrics — cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents and seven-day positivity rate — to determine risk level. Jay County’s numbers have gone up significantly in both categories over the last three weeks.
Its cases per 100,000 residents have climbed from 44 two weeks ago to 102 last week to 298 this week.
Its 7-day positivity rate went from 2.21% two weeks ago to 7.07% last week to 11.63% this week.
After Jay County spent 10 consecutive weeks at the state’s lowest risk level — blue (low risk) — for spread of coronavirus, it moved up to “yellow” (moderate risk) in last week’s update and is now orange. (Weekly Wednesday updates from the state department of health are based on Sunday’s numbers.) Based on the county’s numbers through Tuesday — 366 cases per 100,000 and a 16.4% positivity rate — it would move into the “red” (severe risk) category.
The 75 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Jay County between Aug. 11 and 17 are the most for any seven-day period since Dec. 13 through 19. Its 113 cases in August thus far are already more than in any month since January (215). The county is now on pace to quadruple the number of cases it had last August.
The increase in cases locally mirrored the trend in Indiana and nationwide. In Wednesday’s update, 73 of the state’s 92 counties were rated orange or red. Only 19, including Blackford, Randolph and Delaware counties, were rated yellow. None were rated blue.
The state’s seven-day average case total is 2,686 after having dropped below 200 in June.
The seven-day average at this time last year was about 900. (The average peaked at about 6,900 in November.)
There were 1,616 Hoosiers hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Tuesday, up from about 400 at the beginning of the summer.
The statewide patient count prompted the Indiana Hospital Association to issue a warning and call for those who aren't yet vaccinated to do so immediately. The association reported that COVID-19 hospitalizations are up nearly 300% since July 4.
“Hoosiers should feel confident that Indiana’s hospitals are managing through the current situation by collaborating with one another and the state of Indiana," Brian Tabor, the association's president, said in a statement. “However, should the current trends continue, everyone in need of health care could be impacted.”
State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said Wednesday that unvaccinated people make up more than 97% of COVID-related hospital admissions in Indiana.
Vaccination clinics in Jay County are available at Jay County Health Department, CVS in both Portland and Dunkirk, and Walgreens in Portland.
As of Tuesday, 6,332 individuals in Jay County — about 37.2% of those eligible — have been fully vaccinated. About 3.03 million Hoosiers have been fully vaccinated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday announced plans to administer coronavirus vaccine booster shots eight months after a patient received their initial dose.
“Our plan is to protect the American people, to stay ahead of this virus,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said.
Indiana is not currently under any coronavirus-related restrictions, though the state remains under a health emergency through at least Aug. 31. (The health emergency has been in effect since March 2020.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends wearing a mask indoors for those who are in an area of “substantial or high transmission,” which now includes Jay County.
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 and travel beyond 6 feet, especially indoors. The virus causes a range of symptoms, including fever and shortness of breath, which can appear two to 14 days after exposure.
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