Bartholomew County returns to blue COVID-19 level

Bartholomew County is back in the blue according to yesterday’s update to the statewide COVID-19 spread map by the Indiana State Department of Health. Blue indicates the lowest level of disease spread according to state statistics.

The county returned to the blue milestone, with 93 new cases per 100,000 residents and a 7-day positivity rate of 4.36 percent.

However, while the weekly statistics shows improvement, the county’s overall advisory level remains unchanged at yellow. Counties must reach the lower weekly spread levels and maintain those levels for two weeks before the advisory level changes.

The only remaining surrounding county in the yellow or moderate spread category is Jennings County.

Statewide Indiana had 863 new positive cases, a 3.1 percent 7-day positivity rating and 16 new deaths from the disease. In our surrounding area, Decatur County counted for one of those deaths.