INDIANAPOLIS — This is a liveblog with real-time updates on COVID-19 in Indiana. The Indiana State Department of Health gives daily updates at noon, while Gov. Eric Holcomb and other state officials provide more context every Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 30
The Indiana State Department of Health announced 880 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Indiana residents Sunday. Indiana has now had 93,313 total people with a positive test.
With six additional deaths from the virus that occurred between Thursday and Saturday, 3,072 total Hoosiers have died from the virus.
Saturday, August 29
The Indiana State Department of Health reported 1,140 new individuals who tested positive for COVID-19, bring the state's total during the pandemic to 92,434 people as reported to the state.
With eight additional deaths reported Saturday, 3,066 Hoosiers have died from the virus. Another 219 probable deaths have been reported in people who had COVID-19 symptoms when they died, but did not have a positive test to confirm they had the virus.
Indiana's rate of positive tests is 6.6 percent over the past week, compared to 8.8 for the cumulative rate throughout the pandemic.
Indiana has reports of 1,055,793 people tested for the virus.
Friday, August 28
The Indiana State Department of Health reports 832 new cases of coronavirus for a total of 91,313. The state data shows 1,044,049 Hoosiers have been tested.
The state also reported 11 more deaths from COVID-19 for a total of 3,058 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Another 219 deaths are believed to be COVID related.
Thursday, August 27
The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 1,164 new cases bring the total to more than 90,000.
The state also reported six more deaths from COVID-19 for a total of 3,047.
In Wednesday's weekly press conference, Gov. Eric Holcomb said the state will stay in stage 4.5 and the mask mandate will continue for another 30 days.
The state said that of the 10,417 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 7,793 or 75 percent have been discharged. Around 7 percent of those hospitalized are still being treated and 18 percent have died.
Wednesday, August 26
The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 971 new cases of COVID-19 and 18 more deaths.
Gov. Eric Holcomb and state leaders are providing an update on the response to COVID-19 and whether the mask mandate set to expire at midnight will be extended.
The state also reported 18 more deaths for a total of 3,041.
Gov. Holcomb said the state will stay in stage 4.5 and the mask mandate will continue for another 30 days.
The state said that of the 10,417 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, 7,793 or 75 percent have been discharged. Around 7 percent of those hospitalized are still being treated and 18 percent have died.
Contact tracing
The state now has 680 contact tracers employed in addition to the 300 contact tracers employed by local health departments. Marion County is also looking to hire an additional 300 contact tracers.
The state reports 76 percent of people are completing contact tracing interviews compared to the national average of 50 percent. Contact tracers in Indiana have made more than 350,000 calls and 436,000 texts.
Community spread for school closures
The state looks at three factors when assessing the COVID-19 risk in a county: Number of new cases per 100,000 people, percent positivity for those tested, the change in positivity from the previous week.
Counties will receive a score of 0-3 on each of those three factors and the average will establish the score for the county.
- 0 to 0.9 - Blue
- 1 to 1.9 - Yellow
- 2 to 2.5 - Orange
- 2.5 or higher - Red
If the county is blue:
- Schools can operate all grades in person while limiting activities where social distancing is not feasible.
- Extra-curricular activities to follow local and state guidelines, including distancing and masks, and limit spectators.
- Outreach to encourage public to continue with precautions.
If the county is yellow:
- Schools can continue all grades in person but increase vigilance in distancing, hand hygiene, and masks.
- No assemblies or activities if social distancing is not feasible.
- Postpone or cancel extra-curricular activities as warranted, consider allowing only parents or close family to attend athletic and other events.
- Work with local health depart to determine if increased precautions and public outreach should begin to halt the spread.
If the county is orange:- Grade schools continue in-person; strong recommendation for hybrid learning more middle and high school students.
- Strong recommendation to limit extracurricular activities and have competitors and participants only, with no in-person attendees.
- Discussions with parents about limiting social events outside of school.
- County education leaders work with local health department to consider implementing aggressive prevention efforts in schools and communities.
If the county is red:
- Grade schools remain in-person or consider hybrid learning; middle and high schools consider virtual learning.
- No assemblies or large group activities.
- Extracurricular activities canceled.
- Discourage social events.
- County education leaders work with local health department to consider implementing aggressive prevention efforts in schools and communities.
Landlord Tenant Settlement Conference Program
The Landlord Tenant Settlement Conference Program is an opportunity, at no cost to either party, for landlords and tenants to resolve a dispute.
- Landlord or tenant initiates online (both parties must consent)
- Facilitators will be from a pool of trained attorneys, mediators, and senior judges
- Statewide, conducted remotely (Zoom or telephone)
- Facilitations can happen with filed cases or prior to filing
More information is available by clicking here.
Mailing absentee ballots
The secretary of state is giving guidance on when to ask for and mail back an absentee ballot to make sure it arrives in time to be counted:
- Oct. 19: Mail application for an absentee ballot.
- Oct. 27: Mail the completed ballot back to the county.
- The post office and state are looking at special envelopes for absentee ballots to help the post office prioritize them.
- Reasons for requesting an absentee ballot includes being at work all day, being out of town, being 65 or older, and being confined to your home because of illness or injury.
If you are looking to vote in person, the poll workers will be outfitted with an N95 mask, gloves, hand sanitizer, and a sneeze guard. If needed, masks, gloves and hand sanitizer will be made available to voters. Equipment will be sanitized after someone votes.
The state is also still in need of poll workers.
You can find out more about registering to vote or voting locations by clicking here.
Tuesday, August 25
The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 841 more cases of COVID-19 and 15 additional deaths.
There have been a total of 88,421 and 3,023 deaths reported since the start of the pandemic.
Monday, August 24
The Indiana State Department of Health reported there are 688 new cases of COVID-19 in the state. That brings the total number of cases to more than 87,000.
Five more Hoosiers have died from the virus between Aug. 22 and Aug. 23 with a total of 3,008 deaths in the state since the start of the pandemic.
Within the past week, the positivity rate of all tests in Indiana is about 5.6 percent.