INDIANAPOLIS — "Aggressive" action is needed in several cities, including Indianapolis, due to an increase of positive COVID-19 cases, a leader of the White House Coronvirus Task Force said on a private call, according to a report from The Center for Public Integrity.
Dr. Deborah Birx joined the private call, hosted by the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, with hundreds of emergency managers and state and local leaders Wednesday, according to the story.
It's not clear who, if any, emergency managers or leaders from Indiana were on the call.
The Center for Public Integrity obtained a recording of the call.
Birx warned 11 cities should start mitigation efforts due to the COVID-19 positivity rate increasing, according to the recording of the call.
The following cities were identified by Birx:
- Baltimore
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Indianapolis
- Las Vegas
- Miami
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- Pittsburgh
- St. Louis
As of Wednesday, there are more than 13,000 COVID-19 cases in Marion County, according to data from the Indiana State Department of Health.
MORE INFO | Marion County surpasses 13,000 COVID-19 cases
A spokesperson for the city of Indianapolis released the following statement Thursday regarding the call:
The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs hosts many informational conference calls throughout the week, open to state, local, and tribal leaders. Our office participates in and monitors these calls. Although it is true that Dr. Birx mentioned Indianapolis on Wednesday's call, along with a number of other cities, we have had no direct contact from her or any other member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. We will continue to focus on working with Dr. Virginia Caine and our state health leaders in examining our local health data.
To read the full story from The Center for Public Integrity, click here.
