As the statewide seven-day all-test COVID-19 positivity rate continues its slow decline, the Monroe County rate is at its lowest in nearly a year.
Exactly two months ago, Monroe County’s positivity rate was 8.8%. As of Friday, that number is less than 1%.
Local health leaders previously attributed the low numbers to fewer people getting COVID-19 tests due to inclement weather and other factors in mid-February.
But the county’s positivity rate continued to decline through the end of the month and has held steady at 0.5% for the past two days.
Statewide, the Indiana Department of Health reported 879 new cases and 32 additional confirmed deaths Friday, bringing the state’s total to 665,285 cases and 12,263 confirmed deaths. The statewide positivity rate is 3.3%.
Hospitalizations across the state increased again after a slight dip Thursday, with the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Indiana now at 730.
In Monroe County, cases increased by 15 and confirmed deaths by one, bringing the county’s totals to 10,394 and confirmed deaths to 164.
Area hospitalizations remained the same at 25.
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