(Indianapolis, IN) - For the first time, the number of new COVID-19 cases in the state has topped 6,000.  According to the latest report from the Indiana State Department of Health released Thursday, there were 6,654 confirmed new cases of the virus from the previous day.  The number of Hoosiers testing positive for the virus the past seven days is now 10.5 percent.

 

In La Porte County, ISDH reported 96 new cases over the past 24 hours along with one more death.  The positivity rate in La Porte County stands at 11.4 percent.

 

Currently, the rate of infection remains low enough for schools in La Porte to be open for learning three days again next week.  La Porte Community School Corporation Superintendent Mark Francesconi said the positivity rate in La Porte County would have to reach 15 percent for school buildings to be closed for an entire week under ISDH guidelines. 

 

Francesconi said he would hate for that happen, feeling kids benefit more from being physically at school.  He said the risk for infection seems higher away from school judging from current data.

 

Francesconi said the information shows that school buildings are largely not where the virus spreads.  Most of the cases in the schools here seem to originate from the outside, he said.