Southern Indiana counties have seen a rise in hospital resources used for COVID-19 patients over recent days, though facilities are not yet at capacity for those with critical illness from the disease.
According to data from the Indiana Department of Health, less than 3% of ICU beds were available as of Dec. 26 in the state’s District 9, which includes Clark and Floyd counties. A little less than half of ICU beds were being used for COVID patients.
Around 5% of ICU beds were available in that district on Dec. 23.
The state reported 1,862 new COVID-19 cases between Dec. 24 and 26, and no new deaths. The seven-day positivity rate for all tests is 13.7%.
Days after the new omicron variant was first identified in Indiana, it’s still not showing up in a significant way in test sample sequencing, although health officials have said it’s likely across the state and could be a driver in new cases.
The state department of health dashboard showed that as of Dec. 26, omicron accounted for 0.1% of all samples taken. Delta makes up for more than 99% of samples.
Around 3.5 million Hoosiers have been fully vaccinated, or just over half the state’s population. Around a third of those vaccinated have received a booster shot.
Around a third of counties remain in the red zone, which is determined by the number of new cases per 100,000 residents and the seven-day positivity rate. Clark and Floyd counties remain orange.
