County moves back to orange

We’re orange again.

Indiana State Department of Health’s updated county metrics today moved Jay County back to “orange” (high risk for the spread of coronavirus). The county had been “yellow” (moderate risk) last week when it was the only county in the state to reach that status.

County metrics are based on Sunday numbers, with updates released on Wednesdays.

Jay County’s indicators — cases per 100,000 residents and seven-day positivity rate — that are used in the metrics both bumped up this week. Its case number, which had dropped to 190 per 100,000 residents last week, is now back up to 264. Its positivity rate moved up to 10.5% from 9.5% a week earlier.

The state department of health’s metrics continued to show greater risk statewide. Fifty-seven of Indiana’s 92 counties were “red” (severe risk) this week. The other 35, including Jay and each of its adjacent counties, were “orange.”

“Across the state of Indiana if you look at all the counties and the state in general, we call kind of rebounded after the holidays,” said Jay County Health Department environmentalist and administrator Heath Butz. “I believe we’re seeing that increase after people got together we’re seeing some instances of transmission from those type of gatherings.”

Jay County has seen its numbers come down since their November peak when the county recorded 684 cases for an average of 22.8 per day. It averaged 18.9 cases per day through the first 16 days of December and then 7 per day for the rest of that month. It is averaging 6.6 cases per day through the first five days of January.

The county finished 2020 with 1,511 total cases, with nearly 1,100 of those in November and December. It had 21 deaths, including one on New Year’s Eve.

Butz re-emphasized the importance of continuing to follow safety measures to help slow the spread of coronavirus.