Two more area counties turn red as COVID-19 spread rises

More counties are turning red in our area, showing a severe spread of COVID-19.

With the latest update from the Indiana State Department of Health this afternoon, Johnson and Shelby counties are both joining Jackson County in the red zone on the state’s color-coded COVID-19 spread map. Bartholomew, Decatur, Jennings and Brown counties remain orange showing a serious spread of the disease.

According to today’s figures, Shelby County is showing a 7-day positivity rate of 19.8 percent, second only to Dearborn County in south-eastern Indiana. Jackson County is at 19 percent and Johnson County is at 15.4 percent.

Bartholomew County has a 7-day positivity rate of 13.8 percent with 49 new cases reported.

Jennings County reported four new deaths from the disease, Shelby and Jackson had 1 new death each.

The state is reporting that southeastern Indiana’s District 8 has 163 people hospitalized, the highest number since the start of the pandemic.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb says the rising tide of COVID-19 means putting a pause on non-emergency surgeries throughout the state. In a press conference yesterday, Holcomb said he is trying to take the stress off of an already exhausted and overwhelmed hospital system and it’s workers.

Holcomb said the inpatient elective procedure pause will last for three weeks starting on Dec. 16th through Jan. 3rd.