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Putnam up to seven COVID-19 cases as state tops 1,700

Monday, March 30, 2020
By JARED JERNAGAN, Assistant Editor

There had been seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Putnam County as of the end of the day Sunday.

Meanwhile, statewide cases reached 1,786, an increase of 272 from 24 hours earlier.

Putnam County reported three new cases on Saturday morning (which reflect Friday’s numbers) and two more when the Indiana State Departement of Health (ISDH) gave its daily update Monday morning.

Few details have been released by the Putnam County Health Department about individual cases in the county.

However, when the Health Department gets information on a positive test, officials begin the process of contact tracing, a process detailing who the confirmed person has been in contact with.

Putnam County has had one death from the pandemic. The number of tests administered to county residents has not been reported.

Among surrounding counties, Hendricks has had 58 positive cases, along with 23 in Morgan, 10 in Owen, six in Montgomery and one in Clay.

Parke County has yet to report a positive case.

At the state level, there have been 11,658 tests administered, with more than 1,800 new tests included in Sunday’s numbers, by far the highest daily total reported.

A total of 35 Hoosiers have died in the pandemic.

The state now has nearly seven times the number of confirmed cases as a week ago, while the number of deaths is five times greater.

Indianapolis, with its high population, remains at the epicenter of the state’s outbreak, with Marion County reporting 804 postive tests — 45 percent of the state total.

Counties directly bordering Marion account for another 329 positive cases, meaning Indianapolis and the surrounding area accounts for more than 63 percent of the state total.

Marion and surrounding counties also account for 18 of the state’s 35 deaths.

Elsewhere, Lake County, part of the Chicago metropolitan area, has 97 confirmed cases.

State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said Friday the state’s peak of coronavirus illnesses is expected in mid- to late April.

Last week, Gov. Eric Holcomb issued a stay-at-home order that took effect Wednesday. Exemptions are made for essential businesses and for necessary trips for food and medicine.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.

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  • I understand the need for patient privacy, and I read the earlier article. However, there is a big difference if the affected community is Roachdale, Fillmore, Bainbridge, or other smaller towns as opposed to Greencastle. Perhaps if people knew (if) it was in these smaller communities, they would consider the imminent threat.

    -- Posted by roachdalepl on Mon, Mar 30, 2020, at 8:41 PM

  • Perhaps people should take it seriously, and stay home. It's safe to assume it's already here, in every community.

    -- Posted by T5773fmore on Mon, Mar 30, 2020, at 9:36 PM

  • Sorry t5773fmore I can't stay home because I have an essential job and work everyday. I travel to several customers daily in Putnam and surrounding counties, sometimes spending hours in and around their home.

    It definitely feels like people are tired of talking and thinking about it but haven't really met anyone not taking it seriously. I see people walking sidewalks and paths, and down roads in pairs but keeping distance, and adults outside in driveways and yards talking to each other, which all seems ok to me if they are maintaining the social distance, sometimes you forget though and then back up a little! But I wash my hands alot, don't touch my face with my hands, and clean my cell phone daily. I could probably do better at wiping things down I touch like steering wheel, tools etc but it's alot to wipe!

    I can understand some people who maybe don't like the person giving the message, and they push back against the person, not necessarily the idea of maintaining 6 ft. distance. For example, maybe the person telling you something is dishonest, or is just the angry type and likes to intimidate. Or they have a permanent stick installed, lol.

    I can also understand the idea of wanting to know areas where there is a breakout, so maybe you would avoid that gas station or grocery store for example.

    -- Posted by Raker on Mon, Mar 30, 2020, at 10:52 PM
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