The latest update to the Indiana Department of Health’s color-coded COVID-19 tracking map shows most counties in the WVPE listening area in the “orange” designation. That’s after a record number of counties statewide that were in the “red” last week.
With the exception of LaPorte and Starke Counties, all other counties in the WVPE listening area are in the “orange” this week.
However, state COVID-19 protocols call for some restrictions – including limits on gathering sizes – to remain in place in Elkhart, LaGrange, Kosciusko and Marshall Counties since they were in the “red” last week. State guidelines require those restrictions to stay in place until those counties keep their “orange” designation for two consecutive weeks.
Statewide, 34 counties are in the “red” designation, which indicates unchecked community spread. While that represents over a third of all Hoosier counties, it’s a significant decrease from last week, when almost 80 percent of Indiana’s 92 counties were in the “red.”
In light of threats to other state capitols ahead of Inauguration Day, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced last week that out of an abundance of caution, the Indiana state government complex would be closed to the public Jan. 19-20. As a result, his weekly COVID-19 briefing was rescheduled for Thursday, Jan. 21, at 2:30 p.m. EST.
Contact Gemma atgdicarlo@wvpe.orgor follow her on Twitter at@gemma_dicarlo.
If you appreciate this kind of journalism on your local NPR station, please support it by donatinghere.
