The number of counties in red in Indiana decreased in the past week; Kosciusko County continues to remain orange on the two-metric score map and is now orange on the state’s advisory level map. Pictured above are the two-metric score maps from last week and this week.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Kosciusko County’s COVID-19 positivity rate has fallen for two consecutive weeks, moving the county into orange category on the “advisory level” map used by the state health department.

The county’s positivity rate is 10.6%, according to the state dashboard. This is a decrease from a 13.7% positivity rate reported last week.

Advisory level refers to the current guidelines the county must follow regarding restrictions and gatherings. The county has remained at a lower weekly two-metric score for two consecutive weeks, thus qualifying to move down to “orange.”

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

Whitley County remains in the “red” category this week with a 15.1% positivity rate; this rate has decreased since last week.

Marshall and Elkhart Counties are now in the “yellow” category.

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 a majority of counties in the “orange” 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. Orange counties are categorized as such when they have a 10 to 14.9% seven-day positivity rate and/or 100 to 199 new weekly cases per 100,000 residents. Source: Indiana Department of Health

Kosciusko County has seen two new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the county’s total to 85. The county has 8,140 positive cases.

More than 900 people in Kosciusko County have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

An estimated 3,625 people in Kosciusko County have been administered their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 112,000 Hoosiers are considered to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Statewide, the Indiana Department of Health website shows the number of COVID-19 deaths in Indiana rose to 9,470, which is up from 9,352 reported on Monday, Jan. 25.

The total positive number of reported COVID-19 cases in Indiana is now at 617,176. More than 6,830,000 COVID-19 tests have been administered to Hoosiers.

Locally, Fulton County has 1,656 positive cases, Wabash County has 3,089 positive cases and Whitley County has 3,162 positive cases. Marshall County has 5,096 positive cases, Noble County has 4,774 positive cases and Elkhart County has 24,546.

In other northern Indiana counties, Lake County has 45,894 positive cases; Allen County has 33,238 positive cases; and St. Joseph County has 27,623 positive cases.

According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, more than 426,000 people in the United States have died due to COVID-19.