Lake County reports 8th COVID-19 death; positive cases up to 313

Lake County saw its largest increase in positive COVID-19 cases to date Saturday, with one new death, as 14 more people died statewide to bring the state death toll to 116.

Lake County added 69 new cases as of Saturday, to 313 up from 244, the Indiana State Department of Health reported. By comparison, the county’s caseload rose only 29 on Friday.

Porter County reported 49 total positive cases Saturday morning, the Porter County Health Department said in a release up two from Friday’s total of 47. The state, however, shows Porter County with 51 cases.

The Indiana State Department of Health announced 523 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing to 3,953 the total number of Indiana residents known to have the disease, following corrections to the previous day’s total. Marion County had the most new cases at 155, the department said, while Hamilton County had 41, bringing its total to 265 infected. Hendricks County had 23, and Bartholomew had 22.

The Health Department shows 1,570 cases in Marion County along with 34 deaths. Lake County’s 313 cases is second in the state.

No other county reported more than 17 new cases by Saturday, according to the ISDH, and only five counties have reported no cases during the pandemic so far: Pulaski, Benton, Daviess, Pike and Perry.

Porter County Health Department reiterated that some of the reported positives are receiving treatment in a health care facility, with the remainder selfisolating at home. The department is contacting the self-isolated twice a day by staff to closely monitor for any deterioration, according to the release.

“The Health Department thoroughly investigates each case, tracking down not only close contacts but any contact by finding out where the individual was when symptoms started as well as who they were with,” the Porter County Health Department release said. “Health Department staff has had extensive training in communicable disease investigation as well as ample resources provided by the state.”

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

The Associated Press contributed.

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the PostTribune.