INDIANAPOLIS — Tuesday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including the latest news on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing in Indiana. Registrations for the vaccine are now open for select groups through Indiana State Department of Health. This story will be updated over the course of the day with more news on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Global confirmed coronavirus cases now over 100 million
The world has now reached a grim new milestone in the fight against COVID-19 as confirmed cases of coronavirus infection globally has now exceeded the 100 million mark.
In mid January, Johns Hopkins University reported that the world had surpassed the 2 million mark in COVID-19 deaths globally, a number that experts say could actually be much larger.
MCPHD adding free testing times
The Marion County Public Health Department is changing its COVID-19 testing schedule to add testing on the third Saturday of each month.
Here are the locations and times drive-thru testing will be available:
- MCPHD Main Location - 3838 N. Rural St.: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Marion County Fairgrounds - 7300 E. Troy Ave. (Enter Gate 4 via Fisher Road.): Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- 3820 N. Keystone Ave.: Every third Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The sites on Rural Street and Keystone Avenue will allow both drive-thru and walk-up appointments. The Troy Avenue site is drive-thru only.
Tests are free for all residents, but require an appointment. Make an appointment at MarionHealth.org/indycovid or by calling 317-221-5515.
Fishers firefighters begin giving COVID vaccinations to assisted living facilities
Beginning today, Fishers Fire Department is providing COVID-19 vaccinations to assisted living facilities in Fishers.
Firefighters will vaccinate an estimated 300 residents at the facilities, according to the fire department.
"In efforts to curb the spread of the disease and protect our aging community, local facilities and the City of Fishers are partnering to provide the vaccination as soon as we possibly can to meet the recommendations and guidelines established by the State of Indiana," Captain John Mehling said.
On Jan. 25, the Fishers Health Department opened a COVID-19 vaccination location that is open to all Indiana residents who meet the state's requirements to be vaccinated. It is located at 12520 E 116th Street in Fishers.
ISDH daily update
The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 1,777 more positive cases of COVID-19 and 80 more confirmed deaths from the virus. That puts Indiana's totals at 614,946 cases and 9,432 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
The state reported 25,868 more tests administered Tuesday — a significant drop in recent daily testing. Overall, there have been 6,787,227 tests administered to 2,912,183 individuals across the state.
The positivity rate between Jan. 13 and Jan. 19 was 9.3 percent for all tests and 17.7 percent for unique individuals. The seven-day positivity rate for all tests has dropped nearly 7 percent since early January.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 25.29 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 2:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 420,000 deaths in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 99.71 million confirmed cases with more than 2.13 million deaths and 55.05 million recoveries.
The real number of people infected by the virus around the world is believed to be much higher — perhaps 10 times higher in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — given testing limitations and the many mild cases that have gone unreported or unrecognized.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.
President Biden believes any American wanting vaccine could get it by spring
President Joe Biden appeared to boost his goal for coronavirus vaccinations in his first 100 days in office, suggesting the nation could soon be injecting 1.5 million shots on an average per day.
Biden said he expects widespread availability of the vaccines in the U.S. for Americans by spring, with the United States “well on our way to herd immunity” by summer, the president said.
As Axios reports, the Biden administration would be looking at getting 1 million vaccinations a day administered within the next three weeks. The president said Monday that he believes that any American who wants a COVID-19 vaccine could be able to expect to receive one by spring.
First known case of Brazil COVID-19 variant in the U.S. found in Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported on Monday that the first known case in the United States of the COVID-19 variant coming out of Brazil has been confirmed in a Minnesota patient.
The Brazil P.1 variant was found by the MDH Public Health Laboratory in a specimen from a Minnesota resident who had recently returned from traveling to Brazil.
According to a press release from MDH, while this variant is believed to be more contagious than the initial virus strain that causes COVID-19, it's not yet known whether it causes more severe illness.