The Allen County Health Department, along with the region’s two large hospital networks, urged caution Tuesday in the face of rising COVID-19 numbers going into the Thanksgiving holiday.
The area’s 7-day positivity rate is around 14 percent, and hospitalizations are at their highest in months, at 270, according to the Indiana Department of Health.
The current Allen County case rate is, on average, 273, which is the highest number since January, according to Allen County Health Commissioner Dr. Matthew Sutter in a press release issued Tuesday.
Health officials urged continued mask use, social distancing, and stressed the importance of the vaccines as a way to combat the spread of COVID-19.
They expressed concern for the continued strain on the healthcare system, according to the release.
Northeast Indiana remains the slowest region of the state for vaccination compliance, with three counties under 40 percent of the eligible population fully vaccinated.
Only Allen County has seen more than 50 percent of its eligible population inoculated against the virus.
One death was reported in the area on Tuesday, in Wells County. There were 406 new cases reported around the area.
Northeast Indiana totals:
- Adams County: 10 new cases for 5,245 total. No new deaths for 81 total. 7-day positivity rate at 6.4%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 34.6%.
- Allen County: 183 new cases for 63,727 total. No new deaths for 856 total. 7-day positivity rate at 12.8%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 52.7%.
- DeKalb County: 51 new cases for 7,314 total. No new deaths for 105 total. 7-day positivity rate at 22.9%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 41.2%.
- Huntington County: 21 new cases for 7,196 total. No new deaths for 107 total. 7-day positivity rate at 14.5%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 45.4%.
- Kosciusko County: 34 new cases for 13,655 total. No new deaths for 160 total. 7-day positivity rate at 15%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 41%.
- LaGrange County: 10 new cases for 4,096 total. No new deaths for 89 total. 7-day positivity rate at 28.4%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 23%.
- Noble County: 23 new cases for 8,834 total. No new deaths for 119 total. 7-day positivity rate at 15.3%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 39.8%.
- Steuben County: 24 new cases for 6,351 total. No new deaths for 85 total. 7-day positivity rate at 17.2%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 44.9%.
- Wabash County: 19 new cases for 5,898 total. No new deaths for 107 total. 7-day positivity rate at 20.7%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 40.7%.
- Wells County: 16 new cases for 4,584 total. 1 new death for 97 total. 7-day positivity rate at 8.7%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 41.4%.
- Whitley County: 15 new cases for 6,247 total. No new deaths for 59 total. 7-day positivity rate at 17%. Eligible population fully vaccinated 44.4%.
Source: The Indiana Department of Health
