Nearly 16% of Area Hospital ICU Beds are Available as COVID Numbers Spike

AREAWIDE -- As COVID-19 numbers continue to spike in Dubois and surrounding counties, hospitals in the region are feeling the strain of the pandemic.

As of the latest update (released Friday afternoon) 15.7% of the ICU beds in District 10 were available.  42% of the occupied ICU beds are currently treating COVID patients. 

Locally, District 10 includes Dubois, Daviess, Martin, Pike, Perry, and Spencer Counties. 

Nearly 74% of the district's ventilators are currently available.  Only 8.8% of the ventilators that are currently in use are treating COVID patients.

129 new cases of COVID-19 were reported Friday in Dubois County.  Shawn Werner, who heads the Dubois County Health Department tells WITZ Radio News that the labs are catching up after being closed for Thanksgiving. This may lead to higher numbers for a few days.  Local health officials say, labs playing catch up aside, the local numbers are still high.