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Indiana Officials Confident COVID-19 Testing Is Increasing

Alan Mbathi
/
IPB News

 

Indiana officials say the state’s capacity to test people for COVID-19 is increasing, even as the growth in testing slowed over the last few days.

State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box says some of that is because the state can’t control when outside labs report their testing numbers. She says she’s confident testing is increasing.

“I can just tell you that I know that we had Deaconess Hospital come online with testing," Box says. "We have individuals working at Purdue University to get more testing. We have the new lab in the northwest part of the state that is doing testing.”

President Donald Trump recently said he hadn’t heard from any governors recently about a need for more tests. Gov. Eric Holcomb says he’s always asking.

“Every time I talk to anyone I say ‘We need more. Pour it on.’ We’re not content right now," Holcomb says. "We can always use more.”

READ MORE: Can I Go For A Walk? Here's What A 'Stay-At-Home' Order Really Does

LEE MAS: ¿Puedo Salir A Caminar? Esto Es Lo Que Significa Una Orden De Permanecer En Casa

Indiana limits testing for people who are hospitalized, health care workers, first responders and front-line essential workers, like grocery store cashiers, and, now, symptomatic people who are in high-risk categories, including pregnant women.

Contact Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.

This is a rapidly evolving story, and we are working hard to bring you the most up-to-date information. However, we recommend checking the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Indiana State Department of Health for the most recent numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.