CoronavirusIndianaLocalNews

Hoosier under age 19 has died due to coronavirus

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, orange, emerging from the surface of cells, gray, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. (NIAID-RML via AP)

Someone under 19 in Indiana has died from the coronavirus. That person was the first that young to die from the disease in the state, said Indiana’s state health commissioner Dr. Kris Box, at Thursday’s daily briefing on coronavirus.

“We’ve seen a few deaths occur in young people nationally. But, here in Indiana nearly 91 percent of the individuals who have lost their lives from this disease have been over the age of 60,” she said.

Box also noted that Indiana passed 1,000 deaths from the disease. She called the number released this afternoon, 1,007, more than heartbreaking.

Gov. Eric Holcomb didn’t show up for the briefing until near the end, and via remote. He had been touring the GM plant in Kokomo with Vice Pres. Pence. He noted that 600 ventilators had been built at the plant so far, and that it was set up in just 17 days.

“And then to have General Motors and Ventec Life Systems go from seeing that partnership where they’re used to building big parts, and now getting into these very small, where you have to be 100 percent correct, has to work every second of every day.”

Holcomb remarked on the smaller size and portability of the ventilators being built there, the portability making it easier to keep patients up and moving.

Box noted that when testing increases next week, through a partnershp with private company OptumServ, that as many as 10,000 Hoosiers per day could be tested. She said the state arrived at that number, basing it on CDC guidance that says about 6,600 Hoosiers need to be tested per day.

“We also are working with our local health partners to identify areas of the greatest need across the state to locate addtional 30 Optum sites,” she said. Twenty testing sites will initially be selected, and as many as 30,000 people per week could be tested at the beginning of the venture.

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