A resident of a Franklin senior care facility where a COVID-19 outbreak has occurred died Wednesday morning.
Johnson County recorded its fourth death Wednesday as the number of confirmed cases in the county climbed to 124, said Betsy Swearingen, director of the Johnson County Health Department.
The county health department could not share any additional details about the death Wednesday, but they are investigating, Swearingen said.
The 87 year old was a resident at Otterbein Franklin SeniorLife Community in Franklin, Otterbein’s executive director, Rob Newcomer, said in a statement.
“Our resident was originally taken to the hospital a week ago with issues from a pre-existing condition. While at the hospital, she tested positive for COVID-19,” Newcomer said.
“Our hearts are heavy today as we grieve her death. She was 87 years young, and a beloved member of our community, and will be greatly missed. On behalf of everyone at the Otterbein Franklin SeniorLife Community, we send our sincere condolences to the her family, friends and neighbors — we grieve with them.”
At least 16 residents, three employees and one contracted therapist are confirmed to have the virus, with some tests still pending. Those results of those additional tests were not being shared Wednesday, said David Sease, a spokesperson for Otterbein Franklin.
As of Tuesday, eight residents were hospitalized; seven were in isolation at Otterbein; and one returned home, Otterbein officials have said.
Through a partnership with Eli Lilly, Otterbein is testing all of its employees. Otterbein Franklin’s medical director will test all employees prioritized by role, with direct caregivers being first, Sease said.
The outbreak originated last week with a therapist who was admitted to the hospital and tested positive. Otterbein Franklin has more than 500 residents, 165 of whom are in the nursing home where the outbreak has occurred, and about 300 employees.
“We will continue to move forward with an over-abundance of caution,” Newcomer said.
“We will come through this together, and we will be stronger because of it. Thank you and may God bless us all.”
Three other Johnson County residents have died from coronavirus-related illnesses, all Greenwood residents over the age of 75. Wednesday’s reported death was the first in about a week.
Sixteen more Hoosiers have died from coronavirus-related illnesses, raising the state’s virus death toll to 65 as its confirmed cases surged by more than 400, state health officials said Wednesday.
Indiana’s number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, grew by 409, to 2,565, following corrections to the previous day’s total, the Indiana State Department of Health said.
That includes 10 more confirmed cases in Johnson County, bringing the local total to 124, Swearingen said.
The state health department noted that Indiana’s 16 additional deaths reported Wednesday had occurred over multiple days.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box said Tuesday, when the state reported 14 additional deaths, that those deaths had occurred over the previous two weeks. The state health department only reports additional deaths once there is a confirmed positive test for COVID-19 in each case, she said.
Nearby Marion County had 159 of the state’s new coronavirus cases reported Wednesday. Indianapolis and the seven counties surrounding it account for 63% of Indiana’s confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 1,117 cases alone in Marion County.
Wednesday’s state update shows that only nine of Indiana’s 92 counties have no coronavirus cases.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
