Gov. Holcomb: We Are In A Key Stretch Here; We Are Flattening The Curve

The governor provided an update on the COVID-19 pandemic on Tuesday afternoon.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) – More than 8,500 Hoosiers have tested positive for COVID-19.

Governor Eric Holcomb gave an update on the pandemic on Tuesday afternoon.

Holcomb led off by thanking Hoosiers for their efforts to help limit the spread of COVID-19 by following the “Stay at Home” order and guidelines from health experts.

“We are in a key stretch here,” said Holcomb. “This next three or four, five, six days is going to determine a lot for us. We are flattening the curve we are slowing the spread. It is making a difference your efforts are paying off.”

Dr. Kris Box, Commissioner Department of Health, said the state has seen 313 new positive cases and 37 new deaths as of Monday at 11:59 p.m.  In total, the state has seen 8,527 positive cases and 387 deaths.

To date, over 46,000 Hoosiers have been tested for COVID-19.

Locally, Ripley County has the most positive cases with 89, followed by Dearborn County with 60. Switzerland County has 12 confirmed cases, while Ohio County has one positive case of COVID-19.

Dr. Box added that ICU bed availability is at 46.3 percent. Nearly 25 percent of the state’s ICU beds are currently being used by COVID-19 patients. Another 29 percent of non-COVID patients are in ICU.

As for ventilators, Dr. Box says 74.5 percent of state ventilators available with 14.9 percent being used by COVID-19 patients.

Box added that previous projections had shown that Indiana could be seeing a surge in COVID-19 illnesses as early as this week. The surge is now expected in late April for the Indianapolis are and the first week of May for the rest of the state.

For more information, visit www.coronavirus.in.gov.