COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations in Vanderburgh take dramatic turn
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Falling to its lowest point since the second week of November, the total number of identified COVID-19 cases in Vanderburgh County hit 353 last week. That’s 92% lower than the peak set in the January omicron variant-driven climb.
However, coronavirus-related deaths have only begun to decline. Through Thursday morning, Vanderburgh County saw 28 deaths in February, including people as young as 53 and as old as 104. The county saw 16 deaths in December, 11 in November, 26 in October and 29 in January.
But the number of deaths this month has dropped. During the first 15 days of February, 24 deaths were recorded in Vanderburgh County. During the nine days since then, four have been reported.
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When cases fall, experts say, hospitalizations and deaths typically fall a few weeks later. It is the opposite of what happens when things rise. It typically takes a few days to a week for the sickest COVID-19 patients to be admitted. ICU admissions and then deaths follow a few weeks after the first admission.
COVID hospitalization is also declining
COVID-19 cases in Indiana have dropped in recent weeks. At the beginning of the month, the seven-day daily average was 8,728. As of Monday, it had dropped to 1,121 according to the state dashboard.
The change in state-wide hospital admissions was just as dramatic, going from 3,519 in mid-January to 1,107 on Monday.
The number of COVID-19 admissions in Ascension St. Vincent Evansville has been following the pace.
The hospital system reported that it had 36 hospitalized COVID-19 patients five weeks ago. The number hovered in the 50s four weeks ago. But from Thursday morning it was down to 11 o’clock.
Diaconess Health System last posted COVID-19 admissions data on Facebook six days ago. As recently as 24 Jan. Deaconess reported that it had 183 COVID-positive hospitalized patients A number higher than the 179 COVID patients Diakonisse reported on September 1st, on top of the delta variant wave. The number was 125 last week.
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The data include all deaconess hospitals and the Women’s Hospital.
The positivity rate is a third what it was
Vanderburgh County recorded a record-high 35.4% seven-day positivity on January 19 and again the day after – but the number has steadily declined since then. It was 12.2% on February 19, the last day it is available for.
Warrick and Gibson counties again became “red” – they highest degree of severity on Indiana color-coded COVID-19 severity map – in Wednesday’s weekly roundup. Vanderburgh and Posey counties improved to “orange”, the second highest level of difficulty. But the card draws from tests of positivity data that are nine to 15 days old.
COVID-19 cases in counties in the Evansville area
Total figures from Thursday morning:
- Vanderburgh County has reported 56,854 COVID-19 cases in total during the pandemic and 580 deaths.
- Warrick County has reported 20,103 COVID-19 cases in total during the pandemic and 226 deaths.
- Gibson County has reported 11,539 COVID-19 cases in total during the pandemic and 132 deaths.
- Posey County has reported 6,493 COVID-19 cases in total during the pandemic and 55 deaths.
Thomas B. Langhorne can be contacted by email at [email protected]