Case confirmed

An Adams County case of coronavirus has been confirmed.

Indiana State Health Department’s website added two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 this morning — one in Adams County and one in Boone County. That brings the state’s total to six.

Also Monday, Jay School Corporation updated parents and students on its plans in response to the virus.

The Decatur Daily Democrat reported Monday that there was a presumptive positive test for COVID-19, with the patient in isolation at Adams Memorial Hospital. Test results were then submitted to the state department of health for confirmation.

In a press release, Jay Schools superintendent said that if Jay County?Health Department at any time recommends a school closure, Jay Schools would implement its e-learning program with some modifications and additional support.

It is also working with food service provider Chartwells for options for a modified school lunch program.

“We are meeting regularly with county health officials,” said Gulley. “We expect to receive information from the Jay County Health Department to aid families and students who may be traveling over spring break. For now, students and staff should stay home when sick ...”

Spring break is scheduled for March 23 through 27.

In addition to the new cases in Adams and Boone counties, state’s other confirmed cases as of Monday were in Marion (two), Hendricks and Noble counties.

There was an infected student enrolled at Hickory Elementary School in Avon, and a second student in the same school ditrict, the Avon Community School Corporation, is displaying symptoms, said district Superintendent Maggie Hoernemann.

The district is working closely with the Hendricks County Health Department “to determine the web of individuals who have had direct contact with these two students,” Hoernemann said.

The district canceled classes Monday and closed all its schools until March 20, at which time the district’s spring break will be underway. All practices, extracurricular activities and other school events were also canceled. Classes were scheduled to resume April 6.

For most the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

Box urged parents in the Avon community to jettison their traditional spring break practices and instead keep children at home.

“This is not a spring break where everybody runs out and goes to the mall, goes to the movies, goes to the theater, goes to whatever museum,” she said at a news conference at Avon schools’ headquarters. “Which means that you go home and you read books or you play games with your family or you do your video games or whatever those activities are that you can do at home, rather than being out in public.”

Box did not provide details on the Noble County COVID-19 case, but the office of U.S. Rep. Jim Banks said in a statement that the patient was diagnosed at Parkview Noble Hospital, which is in Kendallville, in far northeastern Indiana.

The Indiana State Department of Health announced Sunday that an adult who lives in Hendricks County had tested positive for COVID-19 after traveling to Boston to attend a meeting of the biotech firm Biogen Inc. That person was in isolation and not being hospitalized.

Indiana’s first case was reported Friday in a Marion County adult who had also traveled to the Boston meeting. State officials said several COVID-19 cases have been tied to the Boston meeting.