(La Porte County, IN) - COVID-19 numbers continue to climb gradually.

According to the Indiana State Department of Health, slightly more than eight percent of the people tested in La Porte County have come up positive in the past seven days. Similar percentages are reported from the surrounding counties.

Much higher infection rates were recorded downstate, especially in the far southern areas where many counties have infection rates between 10 and 20-percent of the people tested for the virus. Daily new COVID-19 cases in Indiana among children are now at their highest level ever, surpassing winter 2020. In addition, the number of kids admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 in Indiana in August is 156 compared with only 35 in June.

The number of people hospitalized at Franciscan Health outside Michigan City has grown as the infection rates have climbed. Dr. Vidya Kora, who has a medical practice in Michigan City, said the number of people hospitalized at Franciscan Health has increased from about seven to around a dozen over the past few weeks. Kora is also a board member with Franciscan Health. He urges people to get vaccinated and obtain correct information about the vaccine when making their decision.