Four more Wayne County residents’ deaths have been related to COVID-19, with one of the new victims in their 30s, according to Wayne County Health Department Executive Director Christine Stinson. That person is the county’s youngest COVID-related fatality since the pandemic began in March 2020. Stinson shared the news of the newest deaths with Wayne County Commissioners on Wednesday morning (Sept. 8) at their weekly meeting in Richmond. Stinson’s announcement came before Indiana’s data is announced weekdays at noon on the state Department of Health website at www.coronavirus.in.gov.
Stinson had sent out a news release Tuesday afternoon announcing three deaths attributed to the virus, with one person in their mid-40s, one who was 60 years old, and one who was in their early 70s.
Wayne County has lost its first 40-something resident to COVID-related illness. In addition, nearly 70 kids and teens tested positive for the virus during the Labor Day weekend, which is about the same number of patients in containment areas at a local hospital on Tuesday, Sept. 7. Over those four days, Wayne County recorded 227 new COVID cases, with 68 of them being in those 18 and younger. It recorded COVID-related deaths for a patient in their mid-40s, a 60-year-old, and someone in their early 70s.
Wayne County has surpassed more than 100 new COVID cases in the daily count announced Thursday, Aug. 26, with nearly half of those illnesses in children. The county broke its one-day record for new cases, which has been in place since Nov. 19, 2020. The previous record was 103, and now the county has an additional 105 reported cases.
Western Wayne Schools is establishing new guidelines for social distancing and preventative measures and implementing an indoor mask mandate for all students and adults starting Friday, Aug. 27. New Superintendent Andy Stover said the change is “an ongoing effort to ensure the health, safety, and education for the children at Western Wayne Schools.” He said the guidelines can change the moment a decline of cases is seen within Western Wayne Elementary and Lincoln Middle/High School. Stover said they want to ensure a proactive approach before the number of rising cases “impacts our learning environment.”
Wayne County’s COVID cases are rising sharply, and as of Tuesday, Aug. 17, Centerville-Abington Community Schools is joining Richmond Community Schools in adding a mask requirement because more than 200 CACS students have had to be quarantined since its schools opened Aug. 9. In a letter sent home Monday to families, Centerville’s Superintendent Mike McCoy announced the district has had 20 positive cases, causing more than 200 students to be quarantined. Because CACS met the 10 percent threshold watched by the health department for students sent home because of COVID, he said the district was given two recommendations from the health department: masking of all students and staff, and/or closing the school for two weeks and returning with full mask requirements.
A Richmond man was injured Monday afternoon after a shooting on the city’s northeast side. Shortly before 3 p.m. Monday, Richmond Police Department’s first-shift patrol officers responded to a report of a shooting at an apartment at 851 N. 16th St. Fragust D. Ford, 42, was located with a
gunshot wound to the lower body, according to Lt. Brandon Cappa of RPD’s Investigative Services. Ford was transported to Reid Health with non-life-threating injuries. Investigators located evidence and are interviewing witnesses, Cappa said.
Wayne Country Heath Department has announced another Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic this week, this time with 200 shots. The next clinic will be from 3-7 p.m. Wednesday, March 31 at the former Elder-Beerman store, 601 E. Main St., Richmond. This clinic will be open only to those with appointments. Walk-ins will not be accepted. About 640 vaccines were distributed Saturday at the health department’s special event offering the Johnson & Johnson shots.
In a week when Hoosiers are still digging out from a significant winter storm, Governor Holcomb’s news conference brought welcome news regarding Indiana’s COVID-19 positivity rates. The color-coded maps “look the best they have in months” according to Dr. Kristina Box, Indiana’s State Health Commissioner Wednesday, February 17. No counties were at the red level this week, down from 4 last week. Wayne County remains at the yellow level first achieved last week; however, the infection level decreased from 1.5 to level 1. While this is a reason to be optimistic, County residents must continue to be diligent about measures to keep the spread contained until the majority are vaccinated. Other highlights:
Because of the unpredictability of when vaccine shipments will arrive in the state, Indiana will keep the threshold of those eligible at 65 and older. Dr. Lindsay Weaver, Indiana’s Chief Medical Officer suggests that anyone receiving the first vaccine dose should take a picture of their vaccination card to help ensure the second dose is from the same manufacturer. Many organizations are helping with registration, transportation, and other barriers to getting vaccines into the arms of those who are eligible, including Area Agencies on Aging, AARP, library staff across the state and managed care partners. Success stories were shared as these contacts have reached people who said they had not previously planned to get vaccinated. Dr. Box responded to a question about whether individuals who test positive with a variant strain of COVID are notified. She responded that they are as ISDH wants to do additional contact tracing. The other strains have been found to be more contagious than the dominant strain the US has fought since the pandemic first began.
At a time when small towns all over the country find themselves struggling, Cambridge City, Indiana, is bucking that trend. People drive from miles around to visit its antique shops and eat at its many restaurants. There are several new businesses on Main Street, and active construction/renovation projects promise more to come. Gateway Industrial Park has three thriving tenants and the local Chamber of Commerce has more than 50 members, including manufacturers, service providers, retail and more. “We are on a roll,” said Jim King of the Cambridge City Main Street organization.
Wayne County Government Launches Public Awareness Campaign Encouraging Masks and Other Precautions to Stop the Spread of COVID-19
Their mission:
Richmond, IN (December 16, 2020) – As Wayne County’s COVID-19 numbers continue to climb the urgency to wear a mask, social distance, and follow other recommended guidelines from the Wayne County Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is critical. Wayne County Government, along with a coalition of many other organizations, including health care, mental health, schools, and businesses, are using Cares Act grant dollars to develop a public awareness campaign. The Share Your Story COVID-19 Wayne County campaign focuses on personal stories of those who have been affected by the virus. Ken Paust, President of the Wayne County Commissioners, says it’s critical we slow the transmission of COVID-19 in Wayne County. “We want everyone to have a safe and happy holiday.
