Indiana Tracking Map Lowers COVID-19 Risk For Many Counties

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana health officials have lowered the risk level for coronavirus spread in more of the state’s counties, leaving only five rural counties in the most dangerous category.

The lowering risk levels under the state Department of Health’s weekly tracking map updated Wednesday comes as COVID-19 vaccination efforts continue across the state and the pace of deaths, while declining recently, remains more than four times higher than last summer.

Gov. Eric Holcomb and state health leaders were scheduled to discuss the coronavirus response during a Wednesday afternoon briefing.

The state’s tracking map labels five of Indiana’s 92 counties in the most dangerous red category, down from 34 counties last week and 73 two weeks ago. The updated map places 79 counties in the next-riskiest rating of the four-level system.

The health department has added 316 coronavirus deaths in the past week to the state’s pandemic toll, which has reached nearly 9,850 fatalities including both confirmed and presumed COVID-19 infections.

The state’s seven-day rolling average of COVID-19 deaths has declined to the high 40s per day after peaking at 86 a day in mid-December. The daily average was about 10 before a steep increase in new infections, hospitalizations and deaths began in September.