COVID-19 Update: Kosciusko Back To Orange, But Sees Five New Deaths
Editor’s note: See related story about an advisory level map that indicates Kosciusko County is still “red.”
By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — Kosciusko County’s COVID-19 positivity rate is back in the “orange” category, according to the method used by the state health department to track COVID-19 metrics.
The county’s positivity rate is 13.7%, according to the state dashboard. This is a decrease from a 20.8% 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 Elkhart Counties have also returned to the “orange” category, with 11.1% and 11.3% positivity rates, respectively. Whitley County remains in the “red” category this week with an 18% positivity rate; this rate has increased 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 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.
Kosciusko County has also seen five new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the county’s total to 82. The county has 7,967 positive cases, which is up from 7,888 reported on Monday, Jan. 18.
700 people in Kosciusko County have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
An estimated 2,384 people in Kosciusko County have been administered their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 79,000 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 9,154, which is up from 8,966 reported on Monday.
The total positive number of reported COVID-19 cases in Indiana is now at 598,313. More than 6,545,000 COVID-19 tests have been administered to Hoosiers.
Locally, Fulton County has 1,614 positive cases, Wabash County has 2,977 positive cases and Whitley County has 2,998 positive cases. Marshall County has 4,977 positive cases, Noble County has 4,661 positive cases and Elkhart County has 24,244.
In other northern Indiana counties, Lake County has 44,778 positive cases, which is up from 44,495 reported on Monday; Allen County has 32,331 positive cases, which is up from 32,035 reported on Monday; and St. Joseph County has 27,014 positive cases.
According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, more than 402,000 people in the United States have died due to COVID-19.