By the numbers

The La Porte County Health Department on Thursday reported a total of 2,249 confirmed cases. Those break down as:

  • La Porte`924
  • Michigan City`773
  • Westville`77
  • Rolling Prairie`59
  • Union Mills`33
  • Kingsford Heights`24
  • Mill Creek`21
  • Wanatah`20
  • Hanna`18
  • LaCrosse`10
  • Long Beach`4
  • Trail Creek`4
  • Westville Correctional`243
  • Indiana State Prison`18
La PORTE — La Porte County officials are asking residents to shrug off any “COVID fatigue” and get back on track in the fight against the pandemic, as the number of local cases continues to surge.

During Wednesday’s meeting of the La Porte County Board of Commissioners, county health officer Sandra Deausy told the board she was sending letters to every business in the county, urging owners to have employees and customers comply with local and state mask mandates.

The La Porte County Board of Health had voted the previous evening to have Deausy draft and issue the letter in response to complaints from citizens about some area businesses not complying with the order.

In the letter, Deausy asks that employees, patrons and guests comply with the following guidelines:

Masks must be worn in public spaces where commerce is being conducted

Masks must cover the nose and mouth

Those serving the public must always wear masks, with no exceptions

Deausy’s announcement came on the heels of the Indiana State Department of Health’s decision to downgrade La Porte County to the “Orange” category on its weekly COVID-19 spread tracking map, the second-worst level in the state’s color-coded coronavirus threat assessment system.

The county, like many other across Indiana, has experienced an uptick in positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations since the beginning of October. As of Wednesday, La Porte County’s weekly COVID-19 cases per 100,00 residents increased to 228, while the 7-day average of positive test results increased to 8.4 percent for all tests reported and 11.2 percent for unique individuals tested.

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, 2,249 residents have tested positive, 58 of whom have died.

With new cases continuing to rise, officials are intensifying efforts to get businesses to comply with county and state mandates ordering residents to wear face masks while in public. The requirements, enacted in July, remain in full effect, even with Gov. Eric Holcomb moving Indiana to the final stage of reopening – removing caps on crowd sizes and allowing bars and restaurants to operate at full capacity.

Unfortunately, without any measures in place to fine or punish those who disobey the mandates, it remains difficult to enforce compliance, Deausy said.

The problem is compounded by the fact that many residents are beginning to suffer from “COVID fatigue,” becoming increasingly weary after months of wearing masks, practicing social distancing and following other prevention practices, she said.

“We don’t have a lot to back us up, but we’re doing everything we can to get people back on track,” she said.

The La Porte County Health Department does possess one possible method of bringing non-compliant businesses in line, however – revoking food permits, county attorney Shaw Friedman said.

The agency has the right to revoke serving permits for any establishment that sells or distributes food should they fail to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, he said.

Commissioner Vidya Kora, a doctor, also encouraged citizens to not let up on coronavirus safety protocols.

The doctor said local hospitals are becoming “overwhelmed” due to the increased number of COVID-19 patients in recent weeks, with 20 cases at Northwest Health – La Porte and 18 at Franciscan Health Michigan City on Tuesday alone.

The uptick is causing delayed care for patients, with Kora recently seeing someone who waited 16 hours in the Emergency Department before a bed became available, he said.

By failing to wear face masks, maintain social distancing and practice good hand hygiene, not only are individuals putting themselves at risk for contracting COVID-19, but they are endangering their family and the rest of the community, Kora said.

“If you take personal responsibility and do the things we need to do to keep the numbers down, it will help all of us,” he said.
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