COVID-19 positive case rate continues to climb in Knox County

COVID-19 positive case rate continues to climb in Knox County

Good evening and thank you for joining us... many counties in the wabash valley are experiencing surges in covid-19.

Communities are seeing weekly increases in the double digits.

And that has health officials concerned.

News 10 bureau chief gary brian tells us about the situation in knox county.

Gar} "the number of positive covid-19 cases in knox county has doubled since the beginning of august.

Now a number of those cases are currently hospitalized."

Tuesday afternoon there were 349 positive cases reported in knox county.

Dr. alan stewart says the climb began back in may.

"basically seen what i would call a logarithmic increase.

Memorial day we were about 30, fourth of july we were at 60, first of august we were at 120."

That increase is attributed to community spread.

"the holidays have done it.

People not masking.

Then a couple of places where we had outbreaks.

Neighboring counties have had similar problems."

Four people have died from the virus... in the county.

Of the current cases...over a dozen of those are currently fighting the virus in the hospital.

Four are on ventalators.

"it creates fiberous tissue and attracts fibrocytes.

The fiberous tissue turns into scar tissue and does not resolve.

So that's why we see the difficult and prolonged time on the ventalator."

For those fighting it...the virus dosen't stop there.

"the muscle pain, what i would call myalga, is significant.

And it causes an elevation in muscle enzymes called the cpk, and this is in the thousands.

I've seen one individual who did pass away and it appeared that this was a major problem, it was attacking his muscles."

Patients in knox county have seen the virus attack their kidneys, nervous system, and other vital organs.

Making it all the more important to slow community spread.

"we have to be very careful about the community spread, watching out for each other, wearing masks, keeping the distance, washing our hands."

In knox county, gary brian news 10.