LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A surge of COVID-19 cases in Indiana is putting stress on the state's health care.
On Wednesday, the Indiana Department of Health reported an additional 6,238 COVID-19 cases and 125 more deaths.
A coalition of some of Indiana's top hospital systems is warning that facilities are struggling to cope with the surge in COVID-19 patients, a sobering reminder that the coronavirus is still spreading quickly in the state despite the arrival of a vaccine.
With COVID-19 patient numbers hovering above 3,000 for nearly a month, Indiana hospitals are treating more than four times as many as they were in September and are worried they soon could get overwhelmed.
The Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety, which represents several central Indiana health-system systems, said Monday in a statement that "local hospitals are fast approaching crisis."
Meanwhile, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and other state leaders are urging residents to be careful with Christmas gatherings.
"We just want to encourage people to properly distance, socially distance, (and) wear a mask when you're close to other folks," Holcomb said Wednesday.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb
The IDH said Wednesday that a total of 440,850 Hoosiers have been diagnosed with the virus since the pandemic began in February, and a total of 6,781 have died.
The statewide seven-day positivity rate for the week ending Dec. 9 is 12.5%. In southern Indiana, Scott County is at 17.3% positivity, Washington County is at 14.2%, Clark County is at 13.8%, Floyd County is at 10.6%, and Harrison County is at 7.9%.
To find testing sites around the state, visit www.coronavirus.in.gov and click on the COVID-19 testing information link.
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