Inform, Entertain, Inspire
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

St. Joseph County Reports 6th COVID-19 Death, Continued Spike In Cases At Long-Term Care Facility

Justin Hicks/WVPE

NEW (Posted Apr. 15 at 5:10pm):

New information from the St. Joseph County Health Dept. indicates that as of today, the county’s total number of confirmed cases is at 294. County health officials are also confirming a sixth death related to COVID-19 infection. The patient, a female in her fifties, had several co-morbidities.

PREVIOUS POST:

St. Joseph County Health Department officials released new information Tuesday afternoon on the presence of COVID-19 in the county. A fifth person has died and there is an uptick in cases, higher than the county figures reported out by the IN State Dept. of Health Tuesday morning. 

The release is below.

As of today, the county’s total number of confirmed cases is 264. We are also confirming a
fifth death related to COVID-19 infection. The patient, an elderly male had several co-morbidities and was associated with the outbreak at a local long-term care facility.

As test results become available more efficiently and the parameters around testing are expanded to enable more people to get tested, we expect to see more confirmed cases of COVID 19. A cluster of new positive tests in one long term care facility also contributed to the increase in number of reported cases of COVID 19 in the last several days. 

Indiana's State Health Commissioner just issued a new order regarding how long-term care facilities can handle COVID-19 outbreaks.

You can read that release below. 

Indiana State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG, today authorized long-term care facilities to transfer, discharge, transport or relocate residents in order to reduce the risks of COVID-19 to this vulnerable population. All moves would be done in collaboration with the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH).

 

Dr. Box’s order, which includes transfers within a facility, between facilities and those occurring across city or county boundaries, will remain in effect for the duration of the public health emergency declared by Governor Eric J. Holcomb. It supersedes any orders issued at the local level as allowed under Indiana law.

 

The goal of the order is to help facilities group residents who have tested negative to protect them from infection and better serve residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 by allowing facilities to establish COVID-dedicated units, with approval of ISDH. Box said such units can allow facilities to better care for these residents and protect healthcare workers while helping to conserve personal protective equipment, such as masks and gowns.