Indiana Second Worst State for COVID-19 Hospitalizations Per Capita

Tonight.

First tonight - more people are hospitalized with covid-19 in indiana and evansville than any other time during the pandemic - the rise in cases has city leaders on edge .... the city preparing for the worst -- and hoping for the best.

44news reporter tyler druin live tonight in evansville --- after speaking with mayor lloyd winnecke.

More people have been flocking to testing sites all over the tri- state following the thanksgiving holiday - mayor winnecke says its still to early to tell how much of an impact the 4 day weekend will have on hospital systems - or the economy "i'm in the restaurant business, its been tough, with the restrictions and with covid" covid-19 crippling nearly every city - county and state in its path - hitting the hoosier state with a one two punch - bars nightclubs and restaurants often blamed for rising cases - "its hard to get the data that says bars are the problem, are cases coming from bars, yes, but we know from contact tracing, and from other data supplied from the local and state health dept.

That many cases are coming from large gathering and family gatherings" currently indiana has three positive covid-19 patients for every two icu beds available - leading health experts continuing to warn against holiday gatherings - much like the thanksgiving holiday - shyann davis and her family making alternate plans for christmas - "what we planned on doing for christmas is having a small gathering with family, nothing to big, do to everything happening you never know whats going to happen the next day or tomorrow" right now - indiana is ranked second in the nation-- when it comes to hospitalization per capita -- trailing behind south dakota.

"there is really positive news on the vaccine front, what we don't want people to do is say hey the vaccine is here, we don't have to do anything" covid-19 suffocating both of the tri-state's largest hospital systems - both providers seeing nursing and doctor shortages like never before- icu beds filling up at record pace - "its very concerning to be about the hospitals, if a loved one or friend needs that space, what are they going to be able to do about it?"

The numbers startling - indiana has nearly 270 hospital beds for every 100,000 people - "early in the pandemic we worked with the indiana department of health on a possible field hospital here, right now they don't think that is necessary" mayor winnecke telling me at this point he does not intend to impose any further restrictions on the city - reporting live in downtown evansville, tyler druin 44news