Indy Midtown Magazine has been posting regular updates about the state’s response to the public health emergency. This post archives all May 2020 updates. View updates from March 2020 or April 2020.
UPDATED May 31
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 34,830 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 265,896 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,976 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
UPDATED May 26
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 32,078 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 230,749 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,850 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
UPDATED May 22
Given the sharp drop in state revenues reported for April and to prepare for a continued decline in state revenue because of the economic impact of COVID-19, Governor Eric J. Holcomb today asked the State Budget Agency (SBA) to initiate plans to reduce state agency appropriations by 15 percent for Fiscal Year 2021.
In a statement, the Governor said, “During the last economic downturn, the state’s general fund revenues were nearly $3 billion less than forecasted. SBA estimates we could face an even greater loss of general fund revenue in the final 14 months of this biennium.”
In addition to the state agency reversions, Gov. Holcomb said the state would not move forward or put on hold several previously announced projects:
- Use of $291 million in reserves to pay for several capital projects approved in the 2020 legislative session
- Approximately $65 million in Next Level Trails grants
- $110 million of deferred maintenance projects, including $70 million for state parks
Governor Holcomb also directed flags to be flown at half-staff statewide from now until to sunset on Sunday, May 24, to honor the victims of the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic.
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 29,936 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 202,995 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,764 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
UPDATED May 21
Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced today that most of the state will advance to a modified stage 3 of the Back On Track Indiana plan on Friday, May 22. Originally scheduled for May 24, Holcomb moved the timing as he felt that health indicators remain positive. The move expands the number of people permitted to shop, or gather, and permits more businesses to reopen. Complete details are in this fact sheet. [PDF]
Cass, Lake, Marion, and Monroe counties may begin stage 3 on June 1 but the Governor is letting local officials make the decision.
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 28,255 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 195,758 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,716 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
UPDATED May 20
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 28,255 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 183,912 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,621 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
UPDATED May 19
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 28,705 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 189,330 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,678 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
UPDATED May 15
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 26,655 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 165,448 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,550 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
UPDATED May 14
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 26,053 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 160,239 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,508 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
UPDATED May 13
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 25,473 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 154,083 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,482 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
UPDATED May 12
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 25,127 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 150,510 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,444 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
UPDATED May 11
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 24,627 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 146,688 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,411 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
May 8 Update
The State Budget Agency released its April 2020 revenue report [PDF] that provides a glimpse of how the public health emergency has affected the state’s finances thus far.
“General Fund revenues for April totaled $1,234.0 million, which is $964.2 million (43.9%) below estimate based on the December 20, 2019 revenue forecast and $1,040.6 million (45.7%) below revenue in April 2019,” state budget director Zachary Jackson said in a commentary on the data. [PDF]
Indiana’s fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30. Jackson added that the coming months will be affected by the rapidly changing economic outlook for the remainder of FY2020. “Going into May and June, significant fluctuations are expected and deviations from monthly estimates are likely as the rapidly changing economic outlook will most likely impact monthly collections,” he said. Additional uncertainty is expected to persist in the coming months, particularly with individual income tax and corporate taxes, since Indiana’s tax filing and payment due date now aligns with the federal deferral to July 15.
Does your driver’s license or vehicle registration expire soon and you’re wondering what to do since all Bureau of Motor Vehicle branches are closed? Not to worry. Governor Eric Holcomb’s executive order [PDF] extends deadlines for such renewals through June 4. The order also extends deadlines for some tax deadlines for both individual or corporate taxpayers, and renewal dates for professional licenses, certificates and/or permits. Further, any state agency may extend “any non-essential deadline” for an additional 60 days “if deemed necessary.”
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 23,146 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 130,128 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,328 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
May 7 Update
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 22,503 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 124,782 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,295 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
May 6 Update
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 21,870 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 120,496 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,264 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
May 5 Update
May 4 Update
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 21,037 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 115,836 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,213 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
May 3 Update
The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reports that 20,507 Hoosiers have tested presumptively positive for COVID-19. This number includes results from ISDH and results submitted by private laboratories. Approximately 113,297 tests have been administered. Additionally, ISDH notes that 1,151 Hoosiers have succumbed to the disease. All Ninety-two Indiana counties have reported cases of COVID-19. Daily updates are posted at noon to the ISDH COVID-19 online dashboard.
May 1 Update
Amidst economic uncertainty and health concerns, Governor Eric Holcomb issued an executive order [PDF] that outlined his Back On Track Indiana plan. According to the outline of the plan, the state will move to reopen while continuing to monitor and respond to four guiding principles:
- The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide has decreased for 14 days
- The state retains its surge capacity for critical care beds and ventilator
- The state retains its ability to test all Hoosiers who are COVID-19 symptomatic as well as health care workers, first responders, and frontline employees
- Health officials have systems in place to contact all individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and expand contact tracing
Indiana Back On Track has five stages. Beginning Monday, May 4, nearly all of Indiana will move to stage 2. For three counties – Cass, Lake and Marion counties – stage 2 will begin at a later date. Phase 2 may begin on Monday, May 11 for Lake and Marion counties. Phase 2 may begin on Monday, May 18 for Cass County, which made national news for the large number of COVID-19 cases at a Logansport meat packing plant.
The Governor noted that local governments may impose more restrictive guidelines. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Dr. Virginia Caine of the Marion County Public Health Department announced on April 30 that local “stay at home” restrictions in Marion County would be extended through May 15. When out in public, all Marion County residents are asked to wear a face mask or covering and continue to maintain good hygiene, with frequent handwashing, and proper social distancing.
In a statement, State Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane (D-Anderson) said, “Governor Holcomb promised to reopen Indiana’s economy slowly and with the guidance of data, science and medical expertise. I’m concerned his plan does not meet those expectations. The state will just start testing every person with symptoms next week. We have no idea how many more positives cases there will be. The CDC suggests a continuing downward trajectory of COVID-like symptoms as well as positive tests before increasing interactions between people. Yet, Indiana has seen an increase in the percentage of positive cases over the last few days.”
Governor Holcomb sought to address these concerns in his statement. “As we lift restrictions and more people return to work, visit a store or restaurant, and participate in more activities, the number of COVID-19 cases will increase. If we cannot meet these principles, all or portions of the state may need to pause on moving forward or we may return to an earlier phase of the stay-at-home order.”
Lanane said, “We shouldn’t open until we know where this virus is and where it could head next. … I urge the Governor to re-think this approach and develop a more cautious plan to make sure we avoid any resurgence.”
