Officials in Howard County on Tuesday reported the first death of a county resident from COVID-19, the novel coronavirus.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones of the Howard County resident who lost their life as a result of COVID-19," Howard County Health Officer Dr. Don Zent said. "It is imperative the community continues to abide by the CDC guidelines in order to protect our most vulnerable residents and allow the healthcare community to maximize their efforts against this new threat."
According to the health department, the resident was 60 years old and had been hospitalized for COVID-19. The patient also had underlying health issues.
In addition to the first death in Howard County, officials in two other central Indiana counties reported additional cases of the novel coronavirus on Tuesday.
In Delaware County, officials said three additional individuals tested positive for COVID-19 bringing the total confirmed cases in the county to seven.
"We anticipate these confirmations will continue to rise rapidly over the next week," Delaware County Health Department Administrator Jammie Bane said. "Social distancing and isolating at home continue to be the best strategies right now. We ask our citizens to heed these warnings and hold each other accountable in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19."
In Tippecanoe County, the health department reported a fourth positive test for COVID-19. The health department said the individual has a recent travel history to Aruba and is currently isolating at home.
