Jay reports second case

Jay County has its second confirmed case of coronavirus.

Jay County Health Department announced Thursday afternoon that a second resident has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. The county’s first case was confirmed Tuesday evening.

Future notifications about local cases will be made through Indiana State Department of Health.

“As we are likely to see more COVID-19 positive individuals in the future we will rely on notification to be addressed via the ISDH COVID-19 website,” the county health department said in a press release. “In the unfortunate circumstance that we have a death in our county we will be sure to notify our media partners.”

As of Monday, Jay County was among a group of just 11 counties out of the 92 in the state that had not reported a cases of COVID-19. That number has dwindled to just seven as of today’s update from the state department of health.

Today’s reported deaths — 23 — were the highest in a single day thus far, bringing Indiana’s total to 101. The previous high was 16 on Wednesday.

The state’s total cases jumped by 398 in today’s report for a total of 3,437. That breaks a streak of three consecutive days of new high marks for new cases. But it is still the fourth day in a row that at least 370 new cases have been reported.

Confirmed case totals for the area are now as follows: Delaware County – 30; Darke County – 22; Mercer County – five; Randolph County – four; Wells County – two; Adams County – one; and Blackford County – one.

Ohio, which updates its case count at 2 p.m. daily, has been on a similar trajectory to Indiana. It reported totals of 2,902 cases and 81 deaths Thursday.

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

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday extended the state’s stay-at-home order through May 1. It was set to expire Monday.

Indiana’s stay-at-home order is set to expire Tuesday, but Gov. Eric Holcomb said he plans to update residents on that issue today.

Holcomb urged Indiana residents to continue following his stay-at-home order and said anyone flouting it is putting themselves and others around them at risk.

“We are not going to be figuratively or literally whistling past the graveyard,” Holcomb said. “We are going to be taking the steps that need to be taken in the state of Indiana.”

DeWine also announced new regulations for retail businesses. Beginning Monday, they will be required to establish a limit on how many customers may be in their store at a single time and have that number posted.

The state has also asked that all those coming into Ohio self-quarantine for 14 days. Those who travel across state lines for work are exempt.

Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said about 700 with COVID-19 or suspected to have the disease caused by the coronavirus are being treated in intensive care units at hospitals in the state as of Thursday afternoon.

Box discouraged personal use of surgical and specialty masks. They are needed for health care workers and others who work directly with COVID-19 patients every day, she said.

“If there are masks individuals are making, I think that's a fabulous thing if you want to wear them,” she said. “But right now we don't have enough masks to mask 6.6 million Hoosiers in our state.”

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill said Thursday dozens of Hoosiers have contacted his office to complain about merchants charging exorbitant prices for toilet paper, food, cleaning products and other essential items during the coronavirus pandemic. The complaints received so far have involved high prices being charged by superstores, home improvement stores, grocery stores, e-commerce websites and others since Gov. Eric Holcomb declared a public health emergency last month.

Hill encouraged consumers who believe they have been subjected to excessive prices for consumer goods to file complaints with his office’s Consumer Protection Division.

“Hoosier consumers should never have to pay exorbitant prices for essential products, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic, which is causing thousands to suffer financial hardships,” he said in a statement.

Consumers can file price gouging complaints online and they can expedite their complaint through a review process by including photos of the prices and product, as well as copies of receipts.

Hill said attorneys from the Consumer Protection Division will review all price gouging complaints and contact the consumers who submit the complaints. If it's determined a seller committed an unfair or unconscionable business practice, the office will then consider issuing a cease and desist letter to that seller.

Those with questions for the Consumer Protection Division may call (800) 382-5516.