Third Putnam County school corporation reports COVID cases

While the diligence of local educators and students seems to be paying off, with few COVID-19 cases reported in local schools, three of the county’s four school corporations have now had students test positive.

The Putnam County Health Department reported Thursday there have been two cases this week in the South Putnam School Corporation.

There had been no cases reported in primary or secondary schools in the county since the first week of school, when Cloverdale reported three and North Putnam had one.

Still, a total of six cases among approximately 5,000 students is a ratio that would make many administrators around the state envious.

DePauw University also self-reported two additional postive tests for COVID-19, bringing its total to eight cases out of 1,091 tests issued since students began returning to campus late last month.

Meanwhile, positive cases in the community overall have risen from 460 on Monday to 474 as of Thursday’s report from the ISDH. These numbers reflect positive cases since March.

Putnam County has gone since May 30 without a death from COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Putnamville Correctional Facility has increased by eight cases since Monday, to 185 diagnoses since March. Of these, 180 have recovered, according to Indiana Department of Correction reporting.

A total of 23 Putnamville staff members have tested positive, 17 of whom have recovered.

No Putnamville prisoners are now in quarantine for possible exposure to COVID-19, while 34 who either have been diagnosed or have been exposed remain in isolation.

Putnamville offenders are listed as part of the overall community numbers reported by ISDH. Meanwhile, Putnamville staff members may or may not be among the Putnam County numbers, depending on the person’s place of residence.