INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana State Department of Health says more than 2,500 Hoosiers have now tested positive for COVID-19.

ISDH says that 2,565 Hoosiers have tested positive. A total of 14,375 tests have been conducted.

The virus has killed 65 Hoosiers.

Marion County had the most new cases with 159. The first deaths involving Hamilton County residents was also reported. A total of four Hamilton County residents have died due to the virus, according to ISDH.

Here are highlights of Wednesday’s press conference from Gov. Eric Holcomb:

• Gov. Eric Holcomb says social distancing is the most effective tool to curb COVID-19, and he announced the #InThisTogether campaign. He says the #InThisTogether campaign is designed to have Hoosiers, no matter if they’re in urban, suburban or rural areas, to go in the same direction to battle COVID-19. A website was created for the campaign.
• Holcomb says the numbers of positive tests and deaths from COVID-19 will continue to increase in Indiana. He appealed to people not to feel helpless. He also pleaded with Hoosiers not to gamble with their own lives and not to gamble with others’ lives. Holcomb said the peak of COVID-19 cases and deaths is still ahead, and warned Hoosiers to remain “hunkered down.”
• The governor says life is different but is continuing, and the state continues to monitor motor traffic and he does not see a need at this time to change the definition of essential businesses or the “stay at home” order.
• Holcomb says the peak of COVID-19 cases and deaths is still ahead, and warned Hoosiers to remain “hunkered down.”
• The governor said the next update on whether the “stay at home” order will be extended could come in a week.
• Holcomb noted health care professionals are working multiple shifts and going without sleep.
• The governor said he was encouraged to see businesses changing their methods, putting profits aside, and supplying Indiana with needed health care goods.
• Holcomb said U.S. Sen. Todd Young, an Indiana Republican, helped get efforts in the federal stimulus package to allow community banks to create COVID-19 hardship programs to accommodate loans.
• David Ricks, chairman and chief executive officer of Eli Lilly & Co., encouraged continued social distancing through the #InThisTogether campaign.
• Ricks said 6,000 health care workers and first responders have been tested so far through Eli Lilly’s drive-thru and labs in Indianapolis. He added that “front line essential workers” such as grocery employees and pharmacists as well as symptomatic members of the public are being added to the list of people who can be tested through its drive-thru lab. Ricks said the general public is not being tested through its labs at this time, but could be in the future.
• State health commissioner Dr. Kris Box says Indiana’s testing capacity has grown, with 458 tests done Tuesday through Eli Lilly’s drive-thru. That’s the most in a day so far.
• Box said she’s confident testing is increasing, although lab reports come in at various times which may results in what appear to be peaks and drops in numbers. Box said the state doesn’t have a solid handle yet on how many people have been tested and found positive, making it difficult to project mortality rates.
• Box said COVID-19 testing supplies remain limited, but tests are being distributed to nine hospital systems ID’d as being low on supplies.
• The health commissioner said rapid tests for COVID-19 are coming from the federal government and will be distributed as soon as possible.
• Box said “quite a few” nursing homes have COVID-19 cases, but she could not immediately provide numbers.
• The Indiana health commissioner said the state’s death demographics by age show COVID-19 can hit people hard and hit any age, not just the elderly.
• Box said the state has been able so far to fulfill requests for supplies from county health departments.
• Holcomb said if people feel sick, they need to start with their primary health care providers, who will determine the next steps.
• Box said Indiana is working to get more masks, gowns, gloves and other protective gear. Holcomb said about ventilators and safety supplies, “We can always use more” and he will make requests from the national stockpile. He’s encouraged by people stepping to help as well to offer supplies. Any homemade masks or protective goods will be accepted, Box said; inform the state as to what’s is being offered at covidresponse@iedc.in.gov.
• The health commissioner said pregnancies will continue in hospitals, but visitors will be limited to a significant other and people who are not symptomatic.
• The governor says he’s not exhibiting any symptoms and does not need to be tested right now for COVID-19. “I’m in relative good health and will get through it if infected.”
• Box, asked about a northwest Indiana surge, said the state has been monitoring Indiana border areas around Chicago and Cincinnati since COVID-19 does not know any borders.
• Dr. Jennifer Sullivan, secretary of the state’s Family and Social Services Administration, says it’s seen an increase in applications for assistance through the Woman, Infants and Children program and it continue to be able to provide funds for accepted applicants.
• Holcomb says Hoosiers should be filling out Census forms, since the results bring much-needed funds to Indiana and its localities.
• Holcomb said he supports President Donald Trump’s order to extend social distancing through April 30.

Holcomb and state health officials are next set to provide updates at 2:30 p.m. Thursday. You can watch that live on WISH-TV, WISHTV.com, the WISH-TV news app and on our Facebook page. To read more about what was discussed in Tuesday’s press conference, click here. To watch a replay of Wednesday’s press conference, click here.

ISDH is not yet providing information on confirmed recoveries. On Monday, Indiana health commissioner Dr. Kris Box says that information will be available as soon as medical codes are created that will offer COVID-19 recovery information, which the state does not currently have.

Officials have been updating this website daily at 10 a.m. Box said health officials will soon begin updating it twice a day.

According to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, more than 877,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide, along with more than 43,000 deaths and more than 185,000 confirmed recoveries.

The latest

Update 8:53

Indianapolis-based Anthem says it will expand coverage effective Wednesday for members in its affiliated health plans undergoing treatment related to a COVID-19 diagnosis.

The expansion covers the waiver of cost share for COVID-19 treatment received through May 31. Anthem will reimburse health care providers at in-network rates or Medicare rates, as applicable, for Anthem’s affiliated health plan fully insured, Individual, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage members. Anthem is strongly encouraging participation by our self-funded employers and will work them to ensure their employees’ needs are met. These employers will, however, still have the option to opt out of participation.

Update 6:09 p.m.

The Marion County Public Health Department announces that COVID-19 testing services for frontline employees will be made available beginning Thursday. The testing will be conducted in a joint effort with the Marion County Public Health Department, the Managed Emergency Surge for Healthcare Coalition and the City of Indianapolis.

Update 4:55 p.m.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Dr. Virginia Caine of the Marion County Public Health Department have extended the county’s stay-at-home order to May 1.

Update 4:51 p.m.

The Hamilton County Economic Development Corp., Hamilton County Tourism and the OneZone, Noblesville and Westfield chambers of commerce have created a website to provide immediate job-opening information to assist workers who have been displaced during the impact of COVID-19.

Update 4:21 p.m.

Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Aleesia Johnson announced the district will pay active employees through the school closures due to COVID-19. The state has ordered schools closed through at least May 1.

Update 3:55 p.m.

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis will remain closed until further notice as a result of the global pandemic. People can access the museum online through its Museum at Home program.

County-by-county numbers, according to ISDH

• Adams – 1
• Allen – 39, including two deaths
• Bartholomew – 13
• Benton – 1
• Boone – 29
• Brown – 3
• Carroll – 2
• Cass – 1
• Clark – 38
• Clay – 1
• Clinton – 1
• Crawford – 1
• Dearborn – 17, including one death
• Decatur – 48, including one death
• DeKalb – 2
• Delaware – 22, including one death
• Dubois – 3
• Elkhart – 23, including two deaths
• Fayette – 10, including two deaths
• Floyd – 21
• Fountain – 1
• Franklin – 39, including five deaths
• Fulton – 1
• Gibson – 4
• Grant – 9
• Greene – 3
• Hamilton – 179, including four deaths
• Hancock – 33, including two deaths
• Harrison – 15
• Hendricks – 91, including one death
• Henry – 4
• Howard – 20, including one death
• Huntington – 2
• Jackson – 10
• Jasper – 9, including one death
• Jay – 1
• Jefferson – 1
• Jennings – 17
• Johnson – 118, including three deaths
• Knox – 3
• Kosciusko – 5
• LaGrange – 2
• Lake – 180, including six deaths
• LaPorte – 11
• Lawrence –1, including one death
• Madison – 46, including two deaths
• Marion – 1,117, including 21 deaths
• Marshall – 3
• Miami – 3
• Monroe – 33
• Montgomery – 6
• Morgan – 41, including one death
• Newton – 1
• Noble – 3
• Ohio – 1
• Orange – 3
• Owen – 12
• Porter – 27
• Posey – 4
• Putnam – 11, including one death
• Randolph – 3
• Ripley – 33, including one death
• Rush – 5
• Scott – 1, including one death
• Shelby – 19
• St. Joseph – 57, including one death
• Starke – 1
• Steuben – 2
• Sullivan – 3
• Switzerland – 3
• Tippecanoe – 18, including one death
• Tipton – 5
• Vanderburgh – 20
• Vermillion – 1
• Vigo – 8, including two deaths
• Wabash – 1
• Warren – 2, including one death
• Warrick – 8
• Washington – 9
• Wayne – 3
• Wells – 2
• White – 2
• Whitley – 3

Timeline of coronavirus in Indiana

Coronavirus links