Governor: Indiana to stay at reopening phase 4.5 for at least two more weeks

Indiana is still not fully opened and will remain in “Phase 4.5” of a five-phase reopening plan, for at least the next two weeks. Gov. Eric Holcomb announced the hold in a news conference Wednesday afternoon, according to Network Indiana.

State health commissioner Dr. Kris Box said an increase in positive cases of coronavirus played a part in the decision, as did factors like hospitalizations.

In “Phase 4.5”, restaurants are limited to three-quarters capacity, while bars, bowling alleys, theaters, nightclubs, casinos and museums have been capped at half capacity since they were allowed to reopen three weeks ago. Box said those are the places where capacity limits are most important. She said the virus spreads 19 times more easily indoors than outdoors.

Holcomb said events like festivals will have to be approved by the state department of health, based on local conditions.

According to the most recent update from the Indiana State Department of Health, there are 53,370 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Indiana, an increase of 700 cases since Tuesday’s update.

There have been 2,592 deaths in Indiana as of Wednesday afternoon’s update, an increase of 10 since Tuesday.

Bartholomew County has had 612 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 45 deaths. There have been no deaths in Bartholomew or surrounding counties since last week.