The number of counties in red in Indiana increased in the past week; Kosciusko County is back in red.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

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

The county’s positivity rate is 20.8%, according to the state dashboard. This is an increase from a 14.9% 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%.

Marshall and Whitley Counties remain in the “red” category, with 17.2% and 20.8% positivity rates, respectively; both of these rates have decreased since last week. Elkhart County also shifted back to the “red” category this week with a 16.1% positivity rate.

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

Through these requirements, social 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.

The color-coded county metrics map on the IDH website shows 73 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

Kosciusko County has reported a total of 75 COVID-19 deaths and 7,727 positive cases, which is up from 7,631 cases reported on Monday, Jan. 11.

An estimated 1,543 people in Kosciusko County have been administered their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 303 people have been fully vaccinated. More than 40,000 Hoosiers are considered to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Statewide, the IDH website shows the number of COVID-19 deaths in Indiana rose to 8,790, which is up from 8,643 reported on Monday.

The total positive number of reported COVID-19 cases in Indiana is now at 574,119. More than 6,220,000 COVID-19 tests have been administered to Hoosiers.

Locally, Fulton County has 1,561 positive cases, Whitley County has 2,835 positive cases, and Wabash County has 2,844 positive cases. Marshall County has 4,848 positive cases, Noble County has 4,520 positive cases and Elkhart County has 23,785.

In other northern Indiana counties, Lake County has 43,365 positive cases, which is up from 43,017 reported on Monday; Allen County has 31,185 positive cases; and St. Joseph County has 26,227 positive cases.

According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, more than 381,000 people in the United States have died due to COVID-19.