Allen County Coronovirus Count Nears 100; Testing Still Slow

COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has claimed additional lives in northeast Indiana over the past few days.

According to the Indiana Department of Health and Steuben County health officials, a 60-year-old individual died on Tuesday at a Fort Wayne hospital. The county has 10 positive cases of the virus.

Allen County is nearing 100 confirmed coronavirus patients, with 98 as of Wednesday afternoon. Another individual passed away, bringing the total of deaths in Allen County to seven.

Indiana’s total positive cases are at 5,943, with 203 total deaths. Nearly 31,000 individuals have been tested, according to the Indiana Department of Health.

While the fatality rate is approximately 5 percent in Allen County, testing is still not widely performed, nor is it widely available. The Indiana Department of Health only tests individuals it determines to be high-risk. 

Even with hospitals using private laboratories or doctors offices testing, a shortage of testing resources has limited availability, according to the Allen County Health Department.

 
The Indiana State Department of Health's testing protocols are: ISDH approves COVID-19 testing for the following highest-risk patients:

1. Patients who require hospitalization due to complications of their acute respiratory illness and symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
2. Healthcare workers and first responders with symptoms consistent of COVID-19 who in their role have potential or unknown exposure to at risk patients.
3. Patients and staff (who have direct contact with patients) at long-term care facilities with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and otherwise no known COVID-19 contact.
4. Persons experiencing homelessness with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and otherwise no known COVID-19 contact.
5. Patients who expire with suspected COVID-19 symptoms.
6. Inmate patients and staff (with direct contact with inmates) at correctional facilities with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and otherwise no known COVID-19 contact.
7. Patients 65 years of age and older with symptoms consistent with COVID-19
8. Patients with underlying conditions with symptoms consistent with COVID-19

Acording to the CDC, high-risk conditions include:

1. People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
2. People who have heart disease with complications
3. People who are immunocompromised including cancer treatment
4. People of any age with severe obesity (BMI >40) or certain underlying medical conditions, particularly not well controlled, such as those with diabetes, renal failure or liver disease
5. Pregnant women