EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Like a wildfire, the recent rate of growth in new COVID-19 cases in Vanderburgh Countyhas raced ahead of the growth in testing while accounting for nearly half of a total thathas been accumulating sinceMarch 19.
Thursday's news thatVanderburgh County had recorded a record-shattering one-day total of 42 new COVID-19 cases brought the county's total to 629 cases, according tothe Indiana State Department of Health's statewidedashboard. The number was 359 on June 24, the day the current run of cases began.
It's a 75percent increase in cases —and it can't be blamed onthe growth in testing alone. Vanderburgh County had recorded 10,372 tests on June 24. The new number — 14,774 as of Thursday— represents just a 42 percent increase in testing.
In all, the 270 cases Vanderburgh County has added since June 24 — from 359 to 629— constitute 43 percent of a totalthat began with the county's first case on March 19.
The largest increase of all comes in the number of active cases, a number offered by the Vanderburgh County Health Department.
On July 2, the health department reported 84 active cases, which it defines as "the number of confirmed cases that are not medically cleared." Then the local agency went a week without updating its numbers. Departmentofficials attributed that to a well-deserved break from work given to employees who hadn't had a weekend off in months.
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When the health department came back with fresh numbers on Thursday, those numbersshowed 178 active cases in the county — a 112 percent increase in just a week's time.
And that number is almost certainly too low. The Vanderburgh County Health Department is behind the state in data reporting, showing only 611 cases to the state's 629.
Three members of the Evansville City Council have introduced an ordinance mandating face coverings in most situations, with violators subject to a fine.
Ordinances generally require two readings for passage, and the face mask ordinance is scheduled only for first reading at the next scheduled City Council meeting, at 5:30 p.m. July 13 in Room 301 of the Civic Center.
Having both readings during the same meeting would require a vote to suspend the rules.
Third Ward Councilman CouncilmanZac Heronemus, primaryauthor of the ordinance, said he will not try to fast-track it in light of the recent explosion in cases.
"I don't think there's support for fast-tracking it," Heronemus said, saying he likely wouldn't have enough votes on council to suspend the rules.
Moreover, Heronemus said, he wants to leave time and room for hearing more public input before taking such a step.
"I think it's important that we do our due diligence to listen to the public and also listen to our health care professionals as well as our public safety officers, our health department, talk with the mayor, get input on how we can do this effectively and that has impact compared to what other communities are doing," he said.
Deaconess Health Systemreleased a statement saying, "the greatest increase in infections is occurring in the 19-44 year old demographic."
"Many of these cases were acquired from exposures to infected persons at large group gatherings or while on vacation. Most are minimally symptomatic and have been able to remain at home. Deaconess has seen a very small increase in the number of patients requiring hospitalization but has more than adequate resources, including ventilators and ICU beds, to care for many additional patients if needed," the statement said.
An attempt to reachDr. Heidi Dunniway,chief medical officer of Ascension St. Vincent South Region, was unsuccessful.
The Vanderburgh County Health Department has not produced statistics specific to the past two weeks, but its website does report that 30 percent of confirmed cases involve people 20-29 years old. It is the largest representation for any age group. The second-largest — 16 percent — is in the second-youngest age group, persons 30-39 years old.
Thursday's total of 42 new cases came just one day afterthe county brokea string ofsix consecutive days with20 or morecases.
The one-day rise from 587 total cases to 629 not only takes Vanderburgh County over the 600-case mark —it shatters the previous record of 27 cases reported in a single day, set just one week ago.
The state dashboard often reports different numbers for counties than the counties themselves —because of data reporting discrepancies and different schedules for updatingthe dashboards.
The ISDH updates itsonline dashboardofCOVID-19data daily, including deaths, as it tracks the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Vanderburgh and Warrick counties also have their own dashboards with their own COVID-19 data.
Here is the latest information available on these dashboards.
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INDIANA
According totheISDHdashboard:
New positive cases: 521
Total positive cases:49,575
New deaths: 7
Total deaths:2,546
Probable deaths:193
Those are cases when a physician lists COVID-19 as a contributing cause of death butthere are no positive test results recorded.
New tests:6,471
Total tested:542,292
Percent positive:9.1
Vanderburgh
New positive cases: 42
Positive cases: 629
Deaths: 6
New tests: 370
Total tested:14,774
Percent positive: 4.3
Warrick
New positive cases: 5
Positive cases: 232
Deaths:29
New tests: 106
Total tested: 4,037
Percent positive: 5.7
Posey
New positive cases: 4
Positive cases: 49
Deaths:0
New tests: 54
Total tested: 1,263
Percent positive: 3.9
Gibson
New positive cases: 5
Positive cases: 103
Deaths:2
New tests: 48
Total tested: 2,163
Percent positive: 4.8
VANDERBURGH
The latest update from the Vanderburgh County Department of Healthdashboard. Numbers may differ from ISDH totals. It was last updated July 8.
Confirmed positive tests: 611
Recovered: 432
Ongoing (active cases): 178
Close contacts: 860
The CDC defines a "close contact" as someone known to have been within six feet of a coronavirus sufferer for at least 15minutes.
Close contacts cleared: 653
Close contacts monitoring: 107
Deaths: 6
WARRICK
TheWarrick County Department of Healthdashboard. Numbers may differ from ISDH totals.
Total active: 36
Off quarantine protocol:168
Deaths:29(26 long-term care)
Total positive cases: 233
