INDIANAPOLIS (AP) —
Another person in Indiana has been sickened by the coronavirus, increasing
the state's number of cases to 12, the Indiana State Department of Health
announced Thursday.
The latest new case
is in Marion County, giving that county that includes Indianapolis its
second case, the department said. It also confirmed a case in St. Joseph
County that was reported by local health officials Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a worker
at Fiat Chrysler's transmission factory in Kokomo has tested positive for
the coronavirus. Company officials said the factory was still operating
Thursday after his work area was disinfected and co-workers who were in
direct contact with him were quarantined at their homes.
Fiat Chrysler said in a statement the worker is getting medical care and
that it's working with local health authorities.
It's the first
known case of coronavirus in a U.S. auto factory.
Fiat Chrysler said
it found out about the worker on Wednesday, and it deep-cleaned and
disinfected his work area following guidelines from the Centers for Disease
Control. The company added sanitization measures for the whole plant and
changed the timing of work breaks to avoid crowding, its statement said.
As the number of cases in Indiana grew, so did the number of universities
extending spring breaks, temporarily canceling classroom instruction or
taking other steps the prevent the spread of the disease. They now include
Butler, Ball State, DePauw, Indiana State, Valparaiso and the University of
Evansville. They join Indiana, Purdue and the University of Notre Dame.
Also Thursday, the
Big Ten canceled the remainder of its men's basketball tournament in
Indianapolis and Indiana High School Athletic Association Commissioner Bobby
Cox announced boys basketball regional games on Saturday will be played
before limited audiences, with each receiving no more than 75 admissions.
Gov. Eric Holcomb
tweeted that he met with his cabinet Thursday "to discuss how to continue to
provide essential public services while protecting Hoosiers and helping them
stay healthy."
The World Health
Organization declared the global outbreak of the coronavirus a pandemic on
Wednesday.
For most, the virus
causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and a cough. For some,
especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can
cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people
recover.
According to the
World Health Organization, people with mild illness get better in about two
weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to
recover.
The Indianapolis
Athletic Club Foundation announced Thursday it had decided to cancel the St.
Patrick's Day Parade and Tent Party that was scheduled for Friday and the
Shamrock Run Walk scheduled for Saturday. It also canceled the greening of
the Central Canal in Indianapolis.
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