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Live updates: 13 COVID-19 deaths in Indiana; state hopes to expand testing

Indiana expanding access to COVID-19 testing

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana State Department of Health has issued its daily COVID-19 update.

On Tuesday, health officials in Howard County announced their first death related to the coronavirus. Officials said the person was a 60-year-old who had been hospitalized with COVID-19 and also had underlying health conditions.

This brings Indiana’s total deaths related to coronavirus to 13.

According to ISDH, 106 people tested positive for the virus on Monday. A total of 971 people were tested on Monday.

ISDH has removed a previous case from Hancock County from the state’s tracker, saying it was erroneously reported as a positive. Three more cases have shifted counties of residence in the tracker.

At 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Gov. Eric Holcomb and State health commissioner Dr. Kristina Box will provide updates on COVID-19 in Indiana. You can watch that news conference live on WISH-TV, WISHTV.com, the WISH-TV news app and on our Facebook page.

On Monday, Holcomb announced a “stay at home” executive order, which goes in place at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday. The governor’s office has issued a “frequently asked questions” list regarding the order and information about what is considered “essential business and operations” can be found here.

According to this interactive COVID-19 tracker from the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, there more than 392,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, resulting in more than 17,000 deaths. The tracker says more than 102,000 people have recovered from the virus.

On Tuesday, MedExpress Urgent Care said it’s providing COVID-19 testing at its Beech Grove location. Testing will only be available to those who meet CDC-based screening criteria and as testing supplies remain available. Call first: 317-786-7950.

Here are highlights from an afternoon news conference of state leaders led by Gov. Eric Holcomb:

  • Indiana announces it will begin more COVID-19 testing at locations in a few days.
  • Indiana health commissioner Dr. Kris Box said “targeted testing” for COVID-19 is continuing. She said clinicians need to use their judgment as to whether give a COVID-19 test.
  • Box says the total of positive COVID-19 test results continue to increase in the state, with added testing being done. About 13% of tests are coming back positive.
  • Box says the state hopes to improve its data to break down COVID-19 cases by gender, age and other details in the next couple of weeks.
  • Box says about COVID-19, “I want to emphasize we’re in the early stages of this outbreak.”
  • Box said there’s been a uptick of respiratory illness in the last day or so.
  • Box says the state is working to conserve its supplies needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Box said she cannot say whether Hoosiers with COVID-19 are health care workers, have chronic diseases or other details because hospital record coding won’t be up to speed until at least April 1.
  • Box said we’re going to see more and more people getting sick in all age groups, not just those over age 60 with pre-existing conditions.
  • Holcomb said the state will announce recoveries from COVID-19 when it has that information.
  • On the “stay at home” order that begins at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Holcomb said, “We’re trying to be as serious … blunt as we can.” People won’t be pulled over going to and from work. Cases of flaunting the law will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Steve Cox of Indiana Homeland Security says a new call center for questions from industries deemed essential services had problems on Tuesday morning that have been resolved. It’d received over 1,000 calls in its first day. It’s open until 9 a.m-6 p.m. Number is 877-820-0890.
  • Fred Payne of Indiana Workforce Development said any Hoosiers out of work, including temporary layoffs, are eligible to apply for unemployment benefits.
  • Payne said Hoosiers who are unsure if they’re eligible for unemployment benefits should go ahead and apply.
  • Holcomb said employees facing issues should first go to their employer and try to work out the issues. If it persists, then the state wants to know so it can try to resolve it.
  • Holcomb said more announcements will be coming Wednesday on the economic front.
  • Holcomb said, “I get it. This is a time of change, uncertainty, maybe a little cabin fever already. I talked to my parents yesterday. They said the house has never been cleaner.”
  • Holcomb said about a recovery bill stuck in the U.S. Senate that it’s time to put aside political gains. “Americans need help right now.”
  • Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter said, “I want to start off by saying we’re all going to be OK. We’re going to be OK.”
  • Carter cautioned people to evaluate sources of information. “It’s easy to say something you don’t believe when you’re in some far off place.”
  • Another news conference is tentatively set for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Speedway Fire Department confirmed Tuesday night that a Speedway firefighter has tested positive for COVID-19. The firefighter was ordered to quarantine at home. Four other firefighters who had contact with the person have been instructed to go into quarantine as well.

County-by-country numbers, according to ISDH

  • Adams – 1
  • Allen – 7, including one death
  • Bartholomew – 5
  • Boone – 3
  • Brown – 1
  • Clark – 5
  • Dearborn – 2
  • Decatur – 6
  • Delaware – 4, including one death
  • Dubois – 1
  • Elkhart – 4
  • Fayette – 2
  • Floyd – 6
  • Franklin – 7
  • Gibson – 2
  • Grant – 3
  • Hamilton – 25
  • Hancock – 4
  • Harrison – 1
  • Hendricks – 13
  • Howard – 6
  • Jackson – 1
  • Jennings – 2
  • Johnson – 18, including three deaths
  • Lake – 17
  • LaPorte – 2
  • Lawrence – 1
  • Madison – 3
  • Marion – 161, including six deaths
  • Miami – 1
  • Monroe – 3
  • Montgomery – 1
  • Morgan – 3
  • Noble – 1
  • Ohio – 1
  • Owen – 2
  • Porter – 1
  • Putnam – 1
  • Ripley – 6
  • Scott – 1, including one death
  • Shelby – 1
  • St. Joseph – 15
  • Starke – 1
  • Sullivan – 1
  • Tippecanoe – 3
  • Tipton – 2
  • Vanderburgh – 1
  • Vigo – 3
  • Warrick – 1
  • Washington – 2
  • Wells – 1

Timeline of coronavirus in Indiana

Coronavirus links