Local nursing homes this week recorded 21 more coronavirus-related deaths, according to the county health department and Otterbein Franklin, bringing the county’s death toll among its long-term care facilities to 79, making up more than 80% of Johnson County’s COVID-19 deaths.
Local health officials on Friday reported two more coronavirus-related deaths, both Greenwood residents ranging in age from 56 to 88, bringing the county’s overall death toll to 98, said Betsy Swearingen, director of the Johnson County Health Department.
Greenwood Meadows more than doubled its deaths, jumping to 27 from the 13 reported by the Johnson County Health Department on May 7.
Greenwood Meadows, which has also recorded 111 cases, was initially reluctant to disclose information about COVID-19 cases at its facility.
Last week, Sherri Davies, spokesperson for its parent company, Indianapolis-based American Senior Communities, said at some point early on in the pandemic, Greenwood Meadows tested all of its residents who were displaying COVID-19 symptoms. The facility then broadened testing to all residents to reduce the risk of early exposure if some residents were asymptomatic, isolating all residents who tested positive, she said.
The company did not answer questions regarding the total number of residents and employees at Greenwood Meadows, or about how many employees, if any, have the virus. So far, all the data provided has been from the county health department.
Greenwood Healthcare saw a significant spike as well, recording 32 deaths, up from 26 the week before, county health officials said.
The facility continues to welcome new residents, 32 of whom were already positive for COVID-19, according to the county health department.
Greenwood Healthcare officials said last week they are accepting COVID-19 positive patients from other facilities and local hospitals since the Indiana State Department of Health encouraged the creation of COVID-19 units.
Officials with Otterbein Franklin SeniorLife Community reported one additional death this week, bringing its death toll to 15.
Bickford of Greenwood also recorded one death and one case this week, according to the county health department.
Morning Pointe, Hearth at Stones Crossing and Compass Park, all of which reported one or two deaths last week, did not record any additional deaths this week, county health officials said.
The county health department also reported 11 more laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases, bringing to 987 the number of overall cases in the county.
The Indiana State Department of Health on Friday said the number of positive cases for COVID-19 in the state has risen to 26,655 following the emergence of 602 more cases.
That’s the highest number of new cases in the daily health department update since May 8, when 643 were reported.
The state reported 580 new cases on Thursday, 346 on Wednesday, 500 on Tuesday, 501 on Monday, 394 on Sunday and 586 on Saturday.
The department said Friday that the cumulative death toll in the state rose to 1,550, up from 1,508 the previous day—an increase of 42.
More than 91% of the total deaths involve those who are age 60 or older. Almost 75% of those who have died are older than 70. Men account for 51.6% of the deaths.
The state reported that 165,448 people have been tested so far, up from 160,239 in Thursday’s report—an increase of 5,209.
The ISDH said the test numbers reflect only those tests reported to the department and the numbers should not be characterized as a comprehensive total.
Health officials say Indiana has far more coronavirus cases—possibly thousands more—than those indicated by the number of tests. A study announced Wednesday estimated at least 186,000 Hoosiers have or had COVID-19 through the end of April.
New positive cases, deaths and tests have occurred over a range of dates but were reported to the department in the previous day.
The department reported the state’s first case on March 6 and first death from COVID-19 on March 16.
Nearby Indianapolis on Friday reported 7,995 cumulative cases—up from 7,793 the previous day, an increase of 202 cases.
The city’s cumulative death toll rose to 465, up from 451 in Thursday’s report. The state said 38,265 people have been tested.
As for surrounding counties, Hamilton had 977 positive cases; Hendricks 1,012; Boone 252; Hancock 282; Madison 535; Morgan 240; and Shelby 278.
Pike County has three cases, but every other Indiana county has at least seven cases.
The department said 39.4% of the state’s intensive care unit beds were still available. About 17.4% are being used by COVID-19 patients.
The department also said 80.1% of the state’s ventilators were available. About 7% were being used for COVID-19 patients.
As of Friday morning, more than 1.41 million cases had been reported in the United States, with 85,974 deaths, according to a running tally maintained by health researchers at Johns Hopkins University & Medicine. More than 246,400 people have recovered.
Nearly 4.5 million cases have been reported globally, with 303,825 deaths. More than 1.6 million people have recovered.
<em>The Indianapolis Business Journal contributed to this report.</em>
<strong>BY THE NUMBERS</strong>
Here is a look at the COVID-19 impact on senior care facilities in Johnson County that have recorded deaths:
<strong>Greenwood Healthcare</strong>
Deaths this week: 32
Deaths last week: 26
<strong>Greenwood Meadows</strong>
Deaths this week: 27
Deaths last week: 14
<strong>Otterbein Franklin</strong>
Deaths this week: 15
Deaths last week: 14
<strong>Morning Pointe</strong>
Deaths: 2
<strong>Hearth at Stones Crossing</strong>
Death: 1
<strong>Compass Park</strong>
Death: 1
<strong>Bickford</strong>
Death: 1
Source: Johnson County Health Department and Otterbein Franklin SeniorLife Community
