12 Indiana counties added to highest virus risk status

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana health officials are expected to discuss who next will be eligible for the coronavirus vaccine as the state on Wednesday added a dozen more Indiana counties to those at highest risk level of COVID-19 spread.

The Indiana Department of Health’s updated weekly tracking map now labels 57 of the state’s 92 counties the most dangerous red category, up from 45 a week ago. All other counties are in the next-riskiest orange rating of the four-level system.

The health department’s daily update added 80 coronavirus deaths to the state’s pandemic toll, which has passed 8,700 fatalities including both confirmed and presumed COVID-19 infections.

Gov. Eric Holcomb said Tuesday that more information about the state’s coronavirus vaccination plan would be released during a Wednesday afternoon news briefing.

Vaccinations of Indiana health care workers started last month. The health department reported that about 52,000 people received the first dose of a two-shot vaccination in the past week, pushing Indiana’s first dose total to 128,000. Nearly 600 people in the past week became Indiana’s first to complete the two-shot vaccinations.