State reports 24 virus cases, with 7 in Marion County
The Indiana State Department of Health on Monday said the number of presumptive positive cases for COVID-19 in the state has risen to 24, an increase of five cases from Sunday’s report.
No deaths from the virus have been reported.
The health department’s report includes results from tests performed at ISDH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and through a private laboratory. Only 139 tests have been administered so far. Health officials say the Indiana has far more coronavirus cases—possibly hundreds more—than those indicated by the limited number of tests.
The department is providing case updates daily at 10 a.m. based on results received through midnight.
Thirteen counties have reported cases, with four experiencing multiple cases: Marion (7), Hendricks (3), Johnson (3) and Howard (2).
Indianapolis-area counties with single cases are Boone and Hamilton.
The first positive case of COVID-19 in the state, reported March 6, involved a Marion County resident who traveled to Boston in late February to attend the BioGen conference.
As of 10:53 p.m. Monday, 3,813 cases had been reported in the United States with 69 deaths, according to a running tally maintained by health researchers at Johns Hopkins University & Medicine.
More than 174,786 cases have been reported globally with 6,705 deaths. John Hopkins said more than 77,650 people have recovered from the virus.
Hospitals cancel, restrict non-urgent surgeries
As the threat of the coronavirus sweeps across Indiana, hospitals are beginning to cancel or restrict elective, non-urgent surgeries to make room for a possible influx of patients.
Ascension St. Vincent announced Sunday evening it will be canceling elective surgeries effective Tuesday at its flagship hospital on West 86th Street—the city’s largest hospital, with more than 1,600 beds.
Community Health Network hospitals also are postponing elective procedures unless the physician, in consultation with the hospital’s medical director, determines the patient will face a “life-threatening or life-altering risk” in the next 30 days.
A spokesman for Franciscan Health Indianapolis said on Sunday it is restricting the number of elective cases, but has not yet banned surgeons altogether from performing them.
IU extends virtual classes through end of semester; students won’t return to campuses
Indiana University will extend its spring break for one week and then finish the semester with all its classes online, rather than bringing students back in April for in-person instruction as it originally planned.
The change means students will begin virtual instruction on March 30 through the end of the semester.
IU President Michael McRobbie said Sunday night that the rapidly changing coronavirus outbreak makes it “now clear we need to go beyond the actions we have already taken.”
“At this time, we continue to have no confirmed cases on Indiana University campuses,” he said. “But with the anticipated greater availability of test kits in the near future, this could change very quickly.”
The school originally told students and faculty that it planned to suspend in-person classes at all of its campuses for the two weeks following spring break, which was scheduled from March 15 to March 22. Students were to receive instruction remotely from March 23 to April 5 and return to their campuses on April 6.
IU will also close most of its residence halls and on-campus housing on March 20.
CDC recommends gatherings don’t exceed 50 people
In the most extreme effort yet to slow the march of coronavirus in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended late Sunday that events of 50 people or more not be held for about two months.
In addition, the Trump administration announced Sunday that some of the most vulnerable Americans will be able to get tested for the novel coronavirus from their cars starting this week—a significantly less ambitious program than the swift nationwide testing campaign President Donald Trump promised Friday.
In its announcement, the CDC said that for the next eight weeks, organizers should cancel or postpone in-person events of that size throughout the U.S. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.
Fed cuts interest rates to nearly zero to combat outbreak
The Federal Reserve took emergency action Sunday and slashed its benchmark interest rate by a full percentage point to nearly zero and announced it would purchase more Treasury securities to encourage lending to try to offset the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
The central bank said the effects of the outbreak will weigh on economic activity in the near term and pose risks to the economic outlook.
The central bank said it will keep rates at nearly zero until it feels confident the economy has weathered recent events.
The actions are the most drastic steps since the depths of the 2008 financial crisis.
Ohio, Illinois close bars, restaurants
Officials in Ohio and Illinois have ordered restaurants and bars to close in the state in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Sunday that all bars and restaurants around Ohio must close Sunday night at 9 p.m.
In Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has also ordered bars and restaurants shut—starting Monday night and lasting through March 30—although they also will be allowed to remain open for deliveries and pickup orders.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has not ordered any retail closures, although he has restricted gatherings to no more than 250 people.
His spokeswoman, Rachel Hoffmeyer, said that Holcomb “continues to evaluate the situation. We will send out notice of any decisions that are made.”
Fed’s expert says he’s open to a ‘national shutdown’ to stem virus
The government’s top infectious disease expert said Sunday he would like to see aggressive measures such as a 14-day national shutdown that would require Americans to hunker down even more to help slow spread of the coronavirus.
Still, Dr. Anthony Fauci said travel restrictions within the United States, such as to and from hard-hit Washington state and California, probably will not be needed anytime soon.
Fauci, the public face of the administration’s messaging during a round of morning TV interviews, said the country should do as much as “we possibly could,” even if officials are criticized for “overreacting.” He said he raised the issue of measures such as a shutdown with the Trump administration, and said it has been open to his ideas.
“I think Americans should be prepared that they are going to have to hunker down significantly more than we as a country are doing,” said Fauci, a member of the White House task force on combating the spread of the coronavirus. He heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health
Kroger latest retailer to reduce hours
Kroger announced that stores in Indiana and four other states in its central division will restrict hours to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The new hours will apply to Kroger and Pay Less stores.
Kroger is the latest grocery chain to announce restricted hours. Market District and Walmart have similarly restricted hours in an effort to let employees restock shelves and sanitize their stores.
“Our supply chain teams are working tirelessly to ensure that food, medicine and cleaning supplies reach our customers as quickly as possible,” said a Kroger statement. “This schedule change will allow our store teams to focus on stocking the fresh, affordable food and essentials that our customers are looking for when they walk in our stores. The change will also allow even greater attention to cleaning our stores.”
Walmart reduces hours
Walmart announced Saturday that it will reduce hours at thousands of its stores—Walmart locations and Neighborhood Market stores—to 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. until further notice.
“This will help ensure associates are able to stock the products our customers are looking for and to perform cleaning and sanitizing,” the store said in a statement posted on its website.
Stores that were already operating on more reduced hours will maintain those hours of operations.
“I don’t think any of us have been through an experience like this,” Walmart U.S.’ chief operating officer, Dacona Smith, said in the statement. “And we continue to be amazed at what our people, whether in the stores or in the supply chain, are doing to make sure customers have what they need.”
Georgia becomes second state to delay primary
Georgia’s March 24 presidential primaries will be postponed to May 19, election officials announced Saturday as cases of coronavirus in the state jumped and Gov. Brian Kemp activated the National Guard and signed an emergency declaration unlocking sweeping powers to fight the disease threat.
In-person early voting, which began statewide March 2, will be halted and the election will be moved to May 19, when Georgia’s other 2020 primary elections are being held, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement.
The move comes a day after Louisiana pushed back its primaries. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards signed an executive order on Friday delaying the April 4 primary in Louisiana until June 20.
In Indiana, the leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties are calling for more flexibility in how voters can cast ballots on the May 5 primary election but not a date change.
In a joint letter sent Friday to the Indiana Election Commission from Indiana GOP Chairman Kyle Hupfer and Indiana Democratic Party Chairman John Zody, they suggest allowing any registered voter to vote absentee by mail.
Ohio, Florida, Illinois and Arizona are planning to hold primaries on Tuesday, with election officials in those states saying they are taking extra precautions to protect voters.
President Trump’s coronavirus test was negative
Donald Trump’s doctor says the president has tested negative for novel coronavirus.
Trump had held out on testing for days, despite his interactions with at least three people who have since tested positive. Trump had said Friday that he would probably take the test at some point, but the White House doctor said as recently as Friday night that no test was called for because Trump wasn’t exhibiting symptoms.
But on Saturday, the president acknowledged having had a test.
Indiana casinos to close starting today
Indiana’s casinos will be closed for two weeks beginning at 6 a.m. Monday, the state’s racing and gambling regulators announced Saturday.
The closings follow Gov. Eric Holcomb’s directive on Thursday that non-essential gatherings should be limited to no more than 250 people. That has led to a rash of closings or cancellations at theaters, event venues and museums.
The Indiana Gaming Commission and Indiana Horse Racing Commission said they will continue to monitor the coronavirus situation and will provide updates.
IPL, Duke, Citizens defer disconnections for unpaid bills
Indianapolis Power & Light, Duke Energy and Citizens said they are suspending service shutoffs for people with unpaid bills.
IPL said it “recognizes the impact and stress COVID-19 is causing in people’s daily lives.” IPL and Citizens are delaying disconnections until April 15. Duke has not announced a time period.
However, the utilties said customers will ultimately be responsible for paying all charges accrued during the time that shutoffs are deferred.
