By Jarred Meeks
The Indiana State Dept. of Health posted additional data today listing the ages and sexes of Indiana residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease stemming from the new coronavirus.
The ISDH’s COVID-19 dashboard, which provides daily updates of Indiana COVID-19 positive tests, deaths, and testing efforts, was enhanced to include the ages and sexes of residents who have tested positive for the disease. The dashboard can be viewed at coronavirus.in.gov.
Data results show 1.8 percent of Indiana residents age 0-19 have tested positive for the disease. Residents age 20-29 (11.3 percent), 30-39 (15 percent), 40-49 (15.6 percent), 50-59 (18 percent), 60-69 (17.6 percent), 70-79 (12.5 percent) and 80 and older (8.3 percent) have shown higher distributions of positive tests.
Data also shows sexes are nearly equally affected – 52 percent of positive cases have occurred in females, 48 percent in males.
“Fifty-six percent of individuals were 50 and older,” Indiana State Health Commissioner Kristina Box said at a press conference today. “I think people may be surprised that they’re not all 80 and over. But what I want to point out to you is that the 70 and 80 year olds have been listening and they’ve kind of been staying home and sequestered. … They didn’t have the exposure that some of our younger people did.”
But elderly residents with pre-existing health conditions are still the most at risk to the disease, Box said.
Box said state officials are collecting data on the number of Indiana residents who have recovered from the disease. The information is expected in the coming days and weeks.
Box said the first Indiana resident diagnosed with COVID-19 has recovered, after being diagnosed on March 6. She, however, urged residents to still take the pandemic and statewide stay-at-home order seriously. She said many of the people diagnosed have had long recovery periods, often lasting longer than seven days. Many serious cases have also required hospital stays.
“It’s been a long process for them,” Box said at the press conference.
