Eleven people in Tippecanoe County have died from COVID-19 in past week

Deanna Watson, Lafayette Journal & Courier
·2 min read

LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Eleven people in Tippecanoe County have died from COVID-19 in the past week, according to the health department, prompting the agency to urge yet again those eligible to get vaccinated.

"COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations remain extremely high," Dr. Jeremy Adler, health officer with the Tippecanoe County Health Department, posted on Facebook Wednesday afternoon. "There have been 3,850 new COVID-19 cases (average of 550 per day) in Tippecanoe County during the last 7 days.

"Nearly one-third of COVID-19 tests are currently positive. Both local hospitals are full and are caring for large numbers of patients sick from COVID-19. In the last week, 11 more Tippecanoe residents have lost the fight against COVID-19."

On Thursday, the Indiana State Department of Health reported that the county's seven-day positivity rate for unique individuals was 40.3%. The unique-individuals rate, as defined by the ISDH, counts a person once even if that person has been tested multiple times.

In adjacent Montgomery County, the seven-day positivity rate for unique individuals was 52.1% Wednesday.

Tippecanoe County had 594 new positive cases reported Thursday, bringing the total since the pandemic started to 43,746; 336 people have died. Six of those died in the 24-hour reporting period ending at noon Wednesday. No new deaths were reported Thursday.

Citing the highly contagious omicron COVID-19 variant, the county health department posted the following recommendations for fighting the virus:

  • Get vaccinated and boosted if you are eligible.

  • Wear a mask in public indoor settings. COVID-19 spreads easily in crowded indoor spaces.

  • Practice social distancing.

  • Wash your hands frequently.

  • Stay home if you are sick. See your healthcare provider and get tested.

Free PCR testing is available on a walk-in basis at 1950 S. 18th Street (the former YMCA) 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Deanna Watson is the executive editor at the Journal & Courier. Contact her at dwatson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @deannawatson66.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Tippecanoe County saw 11 COVID-19 deaths in past week