Putnam again in highest level of COVID advisory
Driven by a recent spike in overall cases and positivity rate, Putnam County has reached the red advisory level for COVID-19 as determined by the Indiana State Department of Health.
In the latest ISDH county data released Wednesday, Putnam County had a total of 193 new positive cases of COVID-19 during the week of Aug. 10-16.
That translated to a 17.65 percent seven-day positivity average and 455 cases per 100,000 residents, both in excess of the ISDH threshold for the highest advisory level.
According to the data, on Aug. 14, the first county resident died of COVID-19 since June, and only the third since late February, when COVID-19 deaths ceased for several months.
Across District 7, which includes Vermillion, Parke, Putnam, Vigo, Clay, Owen, Sullivan and Greene counties, 44.6 percent of ICU beds remained available as of Wednesday, with 12.3 percent in use for COVID-19 patients and 43.1 percent in use for other patients.
Additionally, 88.6 percent of ventilators were available in the district, with 3.8 percent used by COVID patients and 7.6 percent by other patients.
COVID-19 vaccines remain available at the Putnam County Health Department, while testing is available through Putnam County Hospital.