No information is yet availble on the county's most recent coronavirus case.

All four of the previous most recent patients are self-isolating at home. No additional information about the patients will be released due to privacy laws. Pulaski County Health Department is working closely with local and state officials to ensure that contacts of the patients are identified and monitored and that all infection control protocols are being followed.

The IMT urges the public to continue to practice social distancing and proper hygiene habits. Limit all travel to essential activities only.

Of continued concern to local residents is the skyrocketing number of cases reported the past two weeks in neighboring Cass County. Cass County government officials declared a state of emergency April 27.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Cass County has spiked to over 1,500 as of Saturday (May 9), with nearly 1,000 cases linked to the meatpacking plant in Logansport. Correspondingly, the number of coronavirus cases in surrounding counties has since risen. White County confirmed cases have jumped to 145. Most of those counties, including Pulaski, have now also declared states of emergency.

Pulaski County's first case of COVID-19 was reported almost three weeks earlier, on Sunday, April 5. The Pulaski County Health Department reports this individual is "doing well."

About COVID-19

Human coronaviruses most commonly spread from an infected person to others through:

• Respiratory droplets released into the air by coughing and sneezing;
• Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands;
• Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes before washing your hands; and
• Rarely, fecal contamination.

The best way to protect yourself from any respiratory illness, including the flu, is to:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact (within 6 feet) with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g. grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) will provide updates as new information becomes available. Visit the ISDH website at in.gov/coronavirus for the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Indiana.