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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana State Department of Health on Wednesday reported 6,655 new COVID-19 cases, the largest number of new cases since Nov. 21. New cases have exceeded 5,000 in 20 of the past 22 daily case reports
The department also reported 91 new deaths from COVID-19, the third-highest number ever reported in the daily update. The previous highs were 142 on Tuesday and 103 on Nov. 24.
Statewide hospitalizations due to COVID-19 fell slightly, from an all-time high Monday of 3,460 to 3,441 on Tuesday.
Testing of of new individuals rose by 15,102, bringing the cumulative total to 2,232,102.
COVID-19 patients occupy 45.7% of the state’s intensive care beds. The state said 20.2% of its ICU beds are still available.
Following are the latest COVID-19 numbers from the Indiana State Department of Health. The department updates its data daily based on information received through 11:59 p.m. the previous day.
COVID-19 cases
*New cases: 6,655
Total cumulative cases: 350,970
Increase in cases reported Nov. 1-Dec. 1: 162,265
Increase in cases reported Oct. 1-Nov. 1: 60,932
Increase in cases reported Sept. 1-Oct. 1: 26,285
Increase in cases reported Aug. 1-Sept. 1: 27,769
Increase in cases reported July 1-Aug. 1: 21,170
Increase in cases reported June 1-July 1: 11,122
Increase in cases reported May 1-June. 1: 16,065
COVID-19 deaths
New deaths: 91
Total deaths: 5,688
Increase in deaths reported Nov. 1-Dec. 1: 1,474
Increase in deaths reported Oct. 1-Nov. 1: 706
Increase in deaths reported Sept. 1-Oct. 1: 325
Increase in deaths reported Aug. 1-Sept. 1: 322
Increase in deaths reported July 1-Aug. 1: 315
Increase in deaths reported June 1-July 1: 480
Increase in deaths reported May 1-June. 1: 914
Increase in deaths reported April 1-May 1: 997
COVID-19 testing
New tested individuals: 15,102
Total cumulative tested individuals: 2,232,102
Cumulative positivity rate unique individuals: 15.7%
Seven-day positivity rate unique individuals: 22.2%**
Cumulative positivity rate all tests: 7.4%
Seven-day positivity rate all tests: 11%**
Increase in unique tested individuals reported Nov. 1-Dec. 1: 507,314
Increase in unique tested individuals reported Oct. 1-Nov. 1: 322,213
Increase in unique tested individuals reported Sept. 1-Oct. 1: 303,966
Increase in unique tested individuals reported Aug. 1-Sept. 1: 325,159
Increase in unique tested individuals reported July 1-Aug. 1: 268,890
Increase in unique tested individuals reported June 1-July 1: 223,820
Increase in unique tested individuals reported May 1-June 1: 166,257
Increase in unique tested individuals reported April 1-May 1: 85,264
** The health department reports the 7-day positivity rates with a six-day lag to allow time for more comprehensive results.
County numbers
Marion County cumulative cases: 47,763 (increase of 934)
Marion County new deaths: 10
Marion County cumulative deaths: 893
Marion County 7-day positivity rate unique individuals: 19.9%
Marion County 7-day positivity rate all tests: 11.8%
Hamilton County cumulative cases: 14,971
Hendricks County cumulative cases: 7,143
Johnson County cumulative cases: 7,484
Madison County cumulative cases: 5,732
Boone County cumulative cases: 2,746
Hancock County cumulative cases: 3,077
Morgan County cumulative cases: 2,518
Shelby County cumulative cases: 2,128
Indiana intensive care unit usage
Available ICU beds: 20.2%
ICU beds in use by COVID-19 patients: 45.8%
Available ventilators: 69.2%
Ventilators in use for COVID-19: 14.5%
U.S. and worldwide numbers
As of Wednesday, from Johns Hopkins University:
U.S. cases: 13,741,687
U.S. deaths: 270,881
Global cases: 64,054,194
Global deaths: 1,484,164
*New cases, deaths and tests are previously unreported cases, deaths and tests submitted to the Indiana State Health Department in the 24 hours through 11:59 p.m. the previous day. The cases and testing categories typically contain numerous duplicates—as many as 20% or more—that are later eliminated from the cumulative totals.
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With death total above combined with 6.7mm Hoosiers. Death rate is: 0.000848955223881
That’s not how you calculate a death rate for any disease.
Death rate is 5,688 deaths divided by 350,970 cases, or about 1.6%. Considering the study published recently suggesting that nearly 10% of Hoosiers have had the disease, that case count would be closer to 680,000 and the death rate about 0.8%.
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Compare this to the worst recent flu season (2018-19) when nationwide there were an estimated 35.5 million cases and about 34,000 deaths, or 0.1% death rate. COVID is 8 times deadlier than the flu.
Hey Trumpsters! Oh, never mind……………
WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO CONVINCE THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION THAT THE “PLAN” IS NOT WORKING? THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS OVERWHELMED, AND THE RESOURCES ARE SLOWING FADING AWAY. ARE WE THAT BACKWARD, REGARDING HEALTHCARE, THAT WE JUST LET THE TRAIN GO OVER THE CLIFF? THERE NEEDS TO BE A SERIOUS AND AGGRESSIVE PLAN WITH REAL CONSEQUENCES IF THE THERE IS NO COMPLIANCE!!!! I HAVE NO CLUE WHY THE COMMUNITY HAS NOT DEMANDED MORE.
THE FOLLOWING MAY SOUND MONOTONOUS, BUT IT HAS TO BE SAID TILL REAL CHANGE HAPPENS:
It is beyond belief that anyone in our local and State governments would allow this total disaster to continue unchecked. The State’s plan is too little and too late. The plan must be more aggressive and thorough. It is totally clear that the current administration does not have the internal medical expertise to make a decent plan to balance both health and the economy simultaneously. It appears that there is no group within our State that is willing to seriously confront the current administration to force it to make significant chances. Healthcare professionals, hospital systems, medical societies, etc. have been eerily silent.
Even though I have written the following many times before, the basics remain the same. The citizens of our State have to get the message again and again and again, etc. (Remember how long it took to get people to wear seat belts!!!!!!!!!!! The same craziness against seat belts is being used to avoid masks. Many of the same mistakes were made during the 1918 pandemic as well. Too bad history seems to be avoided in our schools at all levels.)
New record numbers every day!!!! How many citizens are we going to let get sick, and how many are going to let die? It really is as simple as that.
However, let me try to understand the logic of the State response to the surging pandemic: Stage 5 is okay. Our focus, per Dr. Box, is to increase the amount of healthcare staff and healthcare capacity to take care of the increasing number of sick people. Oh by the way, please wear your mask, pretty please!! (I love it when the Health Commissioner, who recently got over COVID-19 episode, has only this to offer to curb the raging pandemic in our State.
As I have said before our State needs outside expertise (e.g. Dr. Anthony Fauci) to tell us citizens the REAL status of our State’s current plan to mitigate the pandemic of our State. The current “experts” from State outside of government (e.g. IU) have done little more than to create a bunch of numbers that are totally not understood by the common lay person.
There needs to a ground swell of outrage from the medical community (i.e. hospital, physicians, medical organizations, nursing organization, pharmacists, etc.) to force a change in how our State is handling the pandemic.
The State has the money to finance, through the Care ACT, to fund a more comprehensive plan to provide all the necessary tools (PPE, testing, contact tracing, etc.) to get the situation under control.
A responsible government would be able to balance the economy AND public health. Indiana appears not to be able to multitask. A responsible State government would be able to do both. (As a small business owner, I have lost at least 50% of my income for the year. I know the financial consequences of the pandemic. It took months as the beginning to obtain the necessary amount of PPE to keep my employees and customers safe. I have been able to keep the staff intact as well. However, one does not know what the future will bring)
Hopefully, with the election over for the State, our local leaders will begin to multi-task. Frankly, I do not expect any progress. With the flu season beginning and with more indoor events, we need to expect that things are just going to get worse.
Everyone for our State should realize that our current situation was avoidable. Letting things get worse by this State’s administration is UNCONSCIONABLE and INDEFENSIBLE.
Everyone should re-watch the scene from “NETWORK” where Peter Finch gives a speech that still resonates today. Here is the YOUTUBE link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwMVMbmQBug
With the inaction by our leaders in Indiana to mitigate the Covid-19 pandemic, I ask the following questions:
Why have the healthcare professions of our State not demanded action?
Why have the medical professional organizations of our State not demanded action?
Why have the universities, medical schools, “research” organizations (“Indiana CTSI, BioCrossroads, IBRI, etc.) of our State not demanded action?
Why have the hospitals of our State which are running out of ICU beds, staff, PPE, etc., etc. not demanded action?
Why have the insurance companies of our State not demanded action?
Why have all the media organizations of our State not demanded action?
Why have the citizens of our State not demanded action?
How long will it take?
How many lives will be lost?
How many jobs will be lost?
Will we be able to stop the train of inaction before it takes us over the cliff?
If not, we have only our collective selves to blame!!!!!!!!!!!!