After a sustained and encouraging decline of coronavirus cases from mid-August through mid-September, cases in Northwest Indiana have headed dramatically upward, reversing more than half of the progress the area has made, according to an analysis of NBC 5 Investigates.
In Indiana and overall and in the Northwest region, which encompasses Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton and Jasper counties, cases were increasing as of Monday.
Statewide, daily new cases have bounced up and down for several days.
On Monday, cases climbed back up to a near-record level, however the increase may reverse itself again in future days, as only a one-day increase was reported.
Positivity rates are also up slightly, with the current rate now at 5.8% percent in the Northwest region, an increase of one tenth of a percent over the previous day. Overall, Indiana also saw the same percentage increase, with its current positivity rate at 6.8%.
However, there is some good news.
The average number of recent new daily cases has been decreasing at a sustained rate in small increments both statewide and in the northwest portion of the state.
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Statewide, Indiana is now logging 13.4 new cases every day per 100,000 people. Northwest Indiana is fairing a bit better, with 12.1 new cases each day per 100,000 residents.
As of Monday, Indiana remained under the threshold to be included on Chicago's Emergency Travel Order.
States are added to the order if they have "a case rate greater than 15 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 resident population, per day, over a 7-day rolling average." If they fall below that threshold, they could be removed as well.
On Saturday, Indiana moved to its final phase of coronavirus reopening, allowing businesses like bars, restaurants, salons and gyms to reopen at full capacity and lifting limits on gathering sizes.
