State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box is stressing the importance of contact tracing, after reports of COVID-19 spread at a number of parties and family gatherings.
Box said Wednesday that more than 75 cases have been traced back to things like graduation parties, weddings, camps, and church events. “At least 11 cases have been traced to two bachelor parties in southwestern Indiana,” Box added. “We suspect that there may have been more because people refused to name close contacts for many of those parties. We also have had up to 60 people exposed to a case at a prom here in the State of Indiana.”
Box said contact tracing helped prevent a larger outbreak, after a staffer tested positive at a southern Indiana church camp. “Forty of the 50 camp staff from at least eight different states wound up testing positive, but they were able to quarantine or isolate on-site, and we were able to keep the campers from joining the staffers and then increasing the number of infections,” Box explained. “This helped prevent further spread of the illness both here in Indiana and those staff members’ home states.”
Box reported that between July 1 and July 20, almost 80 percent of Indiana’s positive cases were successfully contacted. While that’s apparently better than many other states, she said it still leaves a lot of people who may not be taking the necessary steps to protect others who may have been exposed. “I cannot stress enough how invaluable contact tracing is in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19,” Box said. “Every Hoosier has a role to play by telling your employer, your friends or family members, and by working with contact tracers if you test positive.”
Indiana is also taking steps to make sure Hoosiers can get tested. Box said Indiana has committed to continue using OptumServe Health Services at least through August, and the agreement will be reevaluated on a month-to-month basis. The state has also begun offering grants to help local health departments increase testing availability. Box stressed that the effort is in addition to the state-sponsored testing sites and is not meant to replace them.
