La Porte County coronavirus positivity rate at 16%

The Indiana State Department of Health on Friday reported 4,744 more state residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing the total to 583,160. Another 42 deaths were reported, raising the toll to 8,872 confirmed and 374 probable deaths.

Another 77 cases were reported in La Porte County, raising the total to 8,664 infected. The death toll remained at 153. The county's 7-day positivity rate for all tests reported was at 16%, meaning the county will likely remain in the red COVID spread threat level next when ratings are announced next week. The positivity rate for unique individuals tested was at 24.2%.
LA PORTE — Of the 322 inmates currently in custody at the La Porte County Jail, 48 had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Thursday morning.

Another 95 were in 14-day quarantine for having been exposed to a COVID-positive inmate, but had tested negative so far, according to Capt. Derek Allen, public information officer at the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office.

So far, none of the jail’s coronavirus cases have resulted in death, nor have they required hospitalization. And Allen noted that the jail keeps medical personnel onsite 24/7, pandemic or not.

“We consider ourselves lucky to have gone 9 1/2 months without COVID in the jail,” Allen said Thursday. “Unfortunately, we’re dealing with it now; but this isn’t isolated to only us – every county is battling it.”

Since COVID-19 was documented to have reached the U.S. in March, the La Porte County Jail has followed the guidelines set forth by the Indiana Sheriffs' Association and the Indiana and La Porte County health departments.

For instance, all incoming inmates who do not immediately post bond are quarantined and monitored for 14 days prior to joining the general population.

From there, contracted medical staff members screen inmates for symptoms twice daily while medications are being distributed.

All jail employees who come into direct contact with inmates or other staff are required to wear masks; and all inmate workers are required to wear masks and gloves during their work assignments.

No inmates are permitted to leave their cell blocks except in the event of a medical emergency in order to prevent the spread of the virus throughout the jail.

Allen said cleaning supplies like disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer are supplied to inmates daily; and they are required to wear masks when in the common areas of their cell blocks.

But the sister of an inmate contacted the Herald-Dispatch with claims to the contrary, saying that inmates don’t use hand sanitizer and that the mask rule is not enforced.

“The staff is continuing to recommend to inmates to utilize good hygiene practices, including not touching their facial areas following use of the kiosks in their cell blocks,” Allen said.

“… But whether they follow those recommendations or not – you can’t make them do things.”

Allen estimated “only a handful” of staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 months.

“It’s taxing on everybody, but our jail staff is resilient and they’re genuinely concerned about the inmates,” he said.

“They see them daily, so it’s difficult and they’re keeping a close eye on them. They’re great people and without them, we’d be at a great loss.”

As they have been since the start of the pandemic, sheriff’s deputies and other area law enforcement agencies have continued to exercise discretion in determining which offenses warrant non-custodial arrests.

Allen said this means issuing a court summons to low-level, non-violent offenders instead of transporting them to the jail, where coronavirus numbers are surging.
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