Vanessa Allen-McCloud, left, and Darian Collins comply with Lake County’s mandatory mask order to help contain the spread of Covid-19.
Snapshots of Lake County's health in today's Covid-19 pandemic
Contributed By:The 411 News
Five long-term care facilities had zero resident and staff infections
Six months into the stay-at-home order, two things are certain. Lake County and the State of Indiana are coming to grips with the health effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Even with infections rising here as well as across the nation, Indiana's Covid-19 hospital admissions and deaths are no longer barometers. At the outset of the pandemic, states mobilized to prevent the spread of the virus with infections overwhelming their hospital systems.
A snapshot of where Lake County is today comes from data collected by the Indiana State Dept. of Health, the Lake County Health Dept, and East Chicago Health Dept.
Early in the pandemic, senior citizens ages 60 and over, especially those in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers were the most susceptible. That's where the coronavirus infections turned deadly for the elderly and sick, whose treatments for the virus were complicated by underlying conditions like cancer, diseases of the heart and lungs, hypertension, and diabetes.
Today, Covid-19 infections and deaths in those living facilities have greatly decreased since we learned their infections were being transmitted by staff and visitors.
ISDH statewide data shows long-term care facilities reached a daily high of 207 positive Covid-19 cases on May 1. Between May 13 and August 12, there have only been 158 resident positive cases; between May 30 and August 17, only 19 resident deaths.
Long-term care facilities residents' deaths are 60% of the state's Covid-19 fatalities, 1,793 of 2,992.
Of Lake County's 34 congregate living facilities (nursing homes, rehab and assisted living centers), ISDH data shows five have zero resident and staff infections, and zero resident deaths.
The five, as of August 20, are Simmons Loving Care in Gary, Miller Beach Terrace Assisted Living in Gary, Journey Senior Living of Merrillville, Virginia Place of Merrillville, and Bickford of Crown Point.
The Lake County Health Department reported Covid-19 data for long-term care facilities, from the start of the stay-at-home order to August 18.
Lake County Long-term Care Facility Staff Cases are 222. Lake County Long-term Care Facility Resident Cases are 455. Lake County Long-term Care Facility Deaths are 123.
Today's ISDH data also reports infections among ages 60 and over, and infections in younger age groups. Ages 60 and over account for only 25% of the state’s 84,317 positive Covid-19 cases.
East Chicago's Health Dept. Covid-19 data is in line with statewide age data. Its 181 positive cases in the 60-and-over age group is 21% of its 861 total cases.
East Chicago data also gives a deeper dive into Covid-19 infections by age. Residents in their twenties account for 164 of the total cases. School age children between 5 and 19 account for 97 of the total cases.
As of August 20, Lake County had 8,438 of the state's 84,317 positive cases and 289 of the state's 2,992 deaths.
Story Posted:08/22/2020
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