INDIANAPOLIS — Tuesday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic.
Fishers moves to 'Risk Level 4'
The Fishers Health Department met Tuesday and recommended elevating the city's COVID-19 risk rating.
The recommendation would move the city to Risk Level 4 (Red) with the latest data set posted on the community-wide dashboard. It's the highest level on their rating scale.
On Tuesday, the dashboard reported 520 new positive tests in the past 14 days and a 16.6 percent positivity rate. Level 4 is enacted when the positivity rate exceeds 10 percent.
Under the red level, residents are urged to "severely restrict activities" to essential activities and hold no gatherings, even among non-high-risk individuals. Those at high-risk are recommended to stay at home and use curbside pick-up or delivery only.
Residents are urged to follow public health orders, including wearing face masks.
Businesses are encouraged to move to an all-virtual setting when possible.
ISDH daily update
The Indiana State Department of Health is reporting 4,879 more cases of COVID-19 and 63 more deaths from the virus. In all, Indiana has seen 219,338 positive cases and 4,481 deaths.
Tuesday's reported deaths date back to Oct. 14, but the 63 newly reported deaths are the most seen in a single day.
The state also reports an additional 250 probable deaths total — those in which COVID-19 is believed to have played a role, but the patient had no positive coronavirus test on record.
The seven-day positivity rate for Oct. 28-Nov. 3 is 9.9 percent, nearly double the World Health Organization recommendation of 5 percent for governments to allow states to reopen.
Hospitalizations are also increasing. Monday set another record for hospitalized Hoosiers receiving treatment for COVID-19, with 2,336. Latest data shows the state has 30 percent of its ICU beds available. COVID-19 patients account for nearly 28 percent of the ICU beds being used.
Connersville HS building closed for the week
Connersville High School students will move to e-learning Tuesday through the end of the week after positive cases or exposure to COVID-19 in the school continues to rise.
Scott Collins, superintendent of the Fayette County School Corporation, said the number of absent students due to quarantines or illnesses is beyond the threshold recommended by the state. E-learning will be in effect through Friday, Nov. 13, hopefully giving students and staff enough time to finish necessary quarantines after possible exposure.
Beginning Monday, Nov. 16, high school students will work on a hybrid schedule until Thanksgiving Break. Details on when students will be in the building and when they'll be learning at home will be available to parents by Thursday, Nov. 12.
Elementary and middle schools will continue to operate on a regular basis. The Whitewater Career Center will also remain open.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 10.11 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. as of 3:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 238,000 deaths and 3.92 million people recovered.
Worldwide, there have been more than 50.91 million confirmed cases with more than 1.26 million deaths and 33.28 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.
IMS Museum closed through Thanksgiving
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is closing through Thanksgiving due to an increase in the rising COVID-19 cases in central Indiana.
Museum management will examine the trends of the pandemic provide the week of Thanksgiving and provide another update at that time.
Beech Grove Schools move to e-learning beginning Tuesday
Beech Grove Schools will move to e-learning beginning Tuesday, Nov. 10.
The superintendent’s office has notified families about the change, citing a “concerning upward trend in the number of positive COVID-19 cases” seen in Beech Grove schools, particularly the high school.
The message to families said “only isolated COVID cases have occurred at our other schools.”
The district said the decision to move to e-learning would be reviewed at the end of this week.
Athletic events, practices and extracurricular activities are also canceled — a decision that would also be reviewed at the end of the week, according to the schools.
Center Grove adjusts schedule due to COVID-19 cases
Students at Center Grove middle and high schools will have a day off Tuesday after an increase in COVID-19 cases in the district.
The school announced the schedule change Monday.
Students in grades 6-12 will have an e-learning day on Wednesday, Nov. 11, then move to a blended schedule starting on Thursday.
Elementary school students are not affected by the changes.
Last week, most Johnson County school districts moved to e-learning or hybrid schedules for students, but Center Grove decided to stick with in-person learning.
US allows 1st emergency use of Eli Lilly experimental COVID-19 antibody drug
U.S. health officials have allowed emergency use of the first antibody drug to help the immune system fight COVID-19, an experimental approach against the virus that has killed more than 238,000 Americans.
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday cleared the experimental drug from Eli Lilly for people 12 and older with mild or moderate COVID-19 not requiring hospitalization. It's a one-time treatment given through an IV.
The therapy is still undergoing additional testing to establish its safety and effectiveness. It is similar to a treatment President Donald Trump received after contracting the virus last month.
Early results suggest the drug, called bamlanivimab, may help clear the coronavirus sooner and possibly cut hospitalizations in people with mild to moderate COVID-19. A study of it in hospitalized patients was stopped when independent monitors saw the drug did not seem to be helping in that situation.
The government previously reached an agreement to buy and supply much of the early production of Lilly's drug.