The number of counties in red in Indiana shifted dramatically in the past week, due to the way the state calculates the positivity rate.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Kosciusko County’s COVID-19 positivity rate is now in the “red” category in the method used by the state to track COVID-19 metrics.

The county’s positivity rate is 16.3%, according to the state dashboard. This is an increase from a 13.5% positivity rate reported last week.

Indiana Department of Health relies on a color-coded county map that measures percent positivity and new cases per 100,000 residents. The baseline for red is 15%.

During a state press conference on Tuesday, Dec. 22, State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said the department would be correcting an error and adjusting how it calculates COVID-19 positivity rates for counties. This error in the previous calculation system was caused by the high variability in the number of tests done each day.

Officials are now adding weekly positive tests and dividing that number by the total number of weekly administered tests to determine positivity rates.

Marshall County is also in the “red” category with a 16.9% positivity rate. Elkhart and Whitley Counties remain in the “red” category, with 15.6% and 15.7% positivity rates, respectively; both of these rates have decreased since last week.

Under Gov. Eric Holcomb’s pandemic requirements, social gatherings of any kind in red counties are limited to 25 people.

Through these requirements, social and holiday gathering participation is not advised. All business capacity must adhere to strict social distancing guidelines; curbside pickup is preferred. Hospitals and long-term care establishments may impose visitation limits.

In a local press conference held Wednesday, Dec. 30, County Health Officer Dr. William Remington said the state had anticipated numerous counties across the state would fall into the “red” category after the software calculation was reconfigured.

With local COVID-19 cases, Remington said Kosciusko County has not seen an “explosion of cases” in the last week but is seeing more deaths; he anticipates there will be more COVID-19 deaths until the number of cases decreases.

Remington encouraged mask-wearing, social distancing and good hand-washing.

“We need community vigilance with these things,” said Remington. “We really need it. I continue to lose patients in their 60s to COVID. It’s a real thing.”

Remington said the county’s case number has experienced a downhill trend of cases over the last three to four weeks but emphasized the importance of holding the press conference to continue encouraging points of vigilance such as staying six feet apart and wearing masks.

The color-coded county metrics map on the ISDH website shows 45 counties in the “red” category. Color-coded county metrics are based on each county’s seven-day positivity rate and the number of newly reported weekly cases per 100,000 residents. Red counties are categorized as such when they have a 15% or greater seven-day positivity rate and/or 200 or more new weekly cases per 100,000 residents. Source: Indiana Department of Health

“Even though this may be a slight statistical realignment, the important thing is this gives us a little bit of incentive to really keep our guard up and hopefully have a safe New Year,” said Mayor Joe Thallemer during the press conference.

The ISDH website says one new COVID-19 death was reported in Kosciusko County. The county has now recorded 69 deaths and 6,780 cases, which is up from 6,675 reported on Monday, Dec. 28.

Marshall County Health Department reported two new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the county’s total to 77. Marshall County has 4,450 positive cases.

The Fulton County Health Department also recently reported one new COVID-19 death, bringing the county’s total to 25. Fulton County has 1,378 positive cases.

Wabash County Health Department reported two new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the county’s total to 43. Wabash County has 2,594 positive cases.

Statewide, the ISDH website shows the number of COVID-19 deaths in Indiana rose to 7,812, which is up from 7,539 reported on Monday.

The total positive number of reported COVID-19 cases in Indiana is now at 505,117. More than 5.6 million COVID-19 tests have been administered to Hoosiers.

Locally, Whitley County has 2,452 positive cases, Noble County has 3,979 positive cases and Elkhart County has 22,523.

In other northern Indiana counties, Lake County has 39,467 positive cases, which is up from 39,049 reported on Monday; Allen County has 27,775 positive cases, which is up from 27,231 reported on Monday; and St. Joseph County has 24,033 positive cases.

According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, more than 339,000 people in the United States have died due to COVID-19.